The Butterfly and the Firecraker
by Jellybeansarecool
Summary: Human AU. River's past comes back to haunt her. Will her newfound friend be able to save her before she is lost forever? Some of the characters involved: Vastra & Jenny, Strax, Captain Jack, 10th Doctor, Martha, Mickey, and Clara. There will be cameos of others!
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One:**

 **A/N: I've been meaning to do a human AU for a while now. I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope that you have just as much fun reading it. There are quite a few cameos so keep a look out for them!**

 **Throughout this story there is some violence, character death (I'm not going to tell you who!), mentions of abuse, and mentions of sex. None of it is graphic but I thought I better rate it an 'M' just to be safe. If you think that you shouldn't read it because of those reasons then that's totally ok! I want you to enjoy this not have it hurt you.**

 **Anyways…. Enjoy the story and if you can, let me know your thoughts!**

 **~Jelly Beans**

The little girl skipped happily alongside her father. Her hand was tightly wrapped in his weathered one.

Smiling down at his daughter, "Are you excited for school today wee one?" the man asked in his gruff Scottish accent.

Stopping suddenly the child screwed up her face, "No. No. No. No!" She shook her head vehemently, her blond pigtails flying about her face. "I don't wanna go!" She tore her hand from her father's and looked up at him with a scowl. "I don't like it there. I wanna stay with you!" She stomped her foot angrily.

With a sigh the old man pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. He was too old to be raising a five year old daughter alone. "Jenny…. Jennifer." He sighed opening his eyes to look down at her but she wasn't anywhere to be seen. John Noble threw back his head with a groan. The little whippersnapper had run away – AGAIN!

)(x)(x)(x)(

River Song hummed to herself quietly. The soft sounds of birds' chirping filled the park as she took her harlequin Great Dane for a walk. With the peace of mind knowing that her daughter was safe with her friends at Paternoster Row she was free to enjoy her morning walk. River was roughly pulled out of her musings when Vortex began to yank on his leash whining loudly.

"What is it?" River asked as she quickly speed up to follow the dog.

Vortex made his way as quickly as he could – with his human close behind – to the small sounds of sobbing that pricked his ear. It sounded a little like the human child that he had sworn to protect but not quite the same.

"What is it?" River asked again as Vortex pulled her around the corner. A soft gasp came from her mouth as she saw the little huddled figure tucked into the large roots of a tree. "Stay!" The curly haired woman commanded the Great Dane before making her way quietly over to the small child.

"Hello Sweetie. Are you ok?" River knelt down to be closer to the girl. "What's your name?"

Lifting her head the child sniffed and ran the back of her hand across her snotty nose. "Jenny." She sniffed again, "My name's Jenny."

"That's a pretty name, Jenny. My name is Professor Song. Do you want to talk about why you are crying at the bottom of a tree?"

Jenny shook her head, "No." She mumbled into her knees.

With a sigh River sat down next to the little girl. Thankfully she was wearing jeans and a hoodie and not the usual dress or skirt she wore to lecture in. "Did you get lost? Hmmm?"

Not daring to look at the woman sitting beside her, Jenny nodded before burying her head deeper into her stocking clad knees.

"Did you come with your mum or dad to the park?" River tried to pry information from Jenny.

Jenny looked up at River, her eyes red and puffy, "No…" she whispered.

River patted the ground next to her and Vortex ambled over and sat down. Patting the dog River smiled at the little girl. "Did you run away?"

"Yeah."

"That's not a good idea. Your mum must be really worried about you."

Jenny shook her head again, "No, I don't got no mum." She scowled and continued, "She don't love me."

River shuffled a little closer to Jenny and put her arm around the small girl's shoulders. "Aww, come now. Just because you don't live with her does not mean that she doesn't love you." River soothed.

Jenny frowned and shook her head again, "But she doesn't remember me."

"Hey, how do you know that?"

"Cause, after the ac-aci-accident she didn't remember me or Papa," she began to cry again, "We seen her at the hospital and she just screamed. She don't know who we are. The meany doctor said we can't see her again cause it hurts her head too much. Mummy forgot ME!" Sobs wracked her small frame.

"Shh, shh." River scooped Jenny up and placed her on her lap and rubbed small circles on her back. Sensing something was wrong Vortex lay down and placed his head next to Jenny and looked up at her with deep brown eyes.

After a while Jenny's sobs left and she lay snuggled into River's chest sniffing as she tried to talk again, "Did you ever run away?" She looked up at River.

Smiling down at Jenny, River stood and helped the little girl to her feet. "Yeah, sometimes. But," River crouched down to be at Jenny's height, "it didn't help. Never run when you're scared. Ok?"

Jenny nodded, "'K."

"Now, let's go find your Papa." River started to walk away when Jenny pulled her hand from hers. "Jenny!" River spun around looking for the little girl in the pleated skirt. "Jenny?!"

"Sorry, 'fessor. I gotta grab my bag." Jenny held up the small dirty book bag to show River.

River smirked and shook her head, "Where were you before you ran away?"

Hand grasped tightly in River's, Jenny poked her tongue out in concentration, "I dunno?"

"Where were you going?"

"School." Jenny spat, "You're not gonna make me go to school are you? I don't like it there!" Jenny stopped and crossed her arms with a stomp.

"Do you know your Papa's phone number?"

"No."

"Do you know your address?"

"No." Jenny began to pout.

"Then we are going to have to go to your school so that I can call your Papa."

"But I don't like it there!" Jenny whined.

River stopped and crouched next to the girl, "Is that any way for a young lady to act? No, it's not. You need to stop whining. You ran away and now you have to pay the consequences." She stood and grabbed the girl's hand.

"No! I don't wanna go! You can't make me! I hate you!" Jenny stomped and kicked trying to get her hand out from River's firm grip.

"Jenny! That's enough!" River said in her best mum voice and matched it with a glare aimed in the girl's direction.

Huffing, Jenny stomped alongside River as they began to walk again.

"Now, what's your school called?"

"St. Teresa's Academy for Remarkable, Disciplined, and Intelligent Students." Jenny quoted. "The other kids call it 'TARDIS' but I call it 'turd school'." Jenny snickered.

"But that's one of the best schools in the country! How'd you get in there?"

Jenny stopped and glared up at River, "You calling me stupid?"

"No. No." Her curls spun about River's face as she smiled and shook her head. "But even geniuses don't always get into that school."

"Oh. Well, Papa's friends with Mother Michelle. He calls her Missy. It's blah!" Jenny fake gagged.

Laughing River continued to walk. Thankfully the school was around the corner from the park.

"Oh wait." Frowning River stopped and grabbed her phone out of her pocket.

"What?"

"I just need to call my friends to let them know I won't be back when I usually am." River explained as she dialed Vastra and Jenny's house.

"Hello?" A boy's voice answered the phone.

"Hi, Strax! Is one of your Mothers there?"

"Yeah… Mumzy! Ma!"

After a moment a new voice was heard over the line, "River! Are you ok? You're usually back by now to pick up Charlotte. Is everything ok?" Vastra began to query.

"Yes. Yes. Can you tell Charlie that I'll be around to get her soon? I just have to help a lost little girl find her Papa."

"A lost child? River, be careful."

"Careful? I tried that once, ever so dull!" River laughed.

"I mean it. You have a daughter now. A daughter who needs you. Be careful."

"I will. See you soon." Turning off her phone River smiled down at Jenny. "Shall we go?"

"I guess." The girl grumbled.

 **A/N: I am going to try to update this regularly. I usually post a story all at once but I thought I might try a different manner of posting along with the different genre :)**

 **Have an awesome day!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two:**

John looked everywhere for his daughter. Grumbling under his breath about little girls being too much like their fathers he made his way to the far end of the park. He'd been walking for at least fifteen minutes and still no sign of her. Running his fingers through his grey curls he walked up to a woman pushing a pram.

"Excuse me. Have you seen a little girl with blond pigtails in a school uniform around here? She's a wee little lass. She might have been running?"

"No. Sorry. Did your granddaughter get out of your sight?" The woman asked politely.

John scowled, his thick eyebrows veering down his face. "No," his Scottish accent growing stronger in agitation, "she's my daughter and she ran away!"

The woman looked at him up and down, arching an eyebrow she snapped, "Well maybe if you were a little nicer she wouldn't run away." Turning her nose up, she walked away.

"Gahhh!" John screamed and threw his hands in the air. Disturbed, a flock of birds flew high in the air behind him.

Stalking off towards his apartment John hoped Jenny had gone back home. His hands deep in his pockets the ex-Physicist grumbled to himself when his phone began to ring.

"Hello?!" He snapped.

"Hello Sweetie." A husky woman's voice responded sarcastically.

"What do you want?" He was in no mood to entertain ridiculous women no matter how much their voice sent tingles through him, and he refused to entertain the idea of what that might mean.

"I found Jenny."

"What?!" John stopped abruptly in the middle of the sidewalk clutching onto his phone. "What?! Where?!"

The voice on the other end of the phone gave a light chuckle at the almost frantic tone of his voice, "Vortex found her in the park crying."

"Vortex?" Now he was confused.

"Oh! Sorry." She chuckled, "My Great Dane, he found her sitting under a tree in a little ball."

"Where are you now?" He nearly shouted.

The laughter left the woman's voice, "Hey. It's ok. She's ok. I got your number from her school but she seems a bit shook up to go today so I'm taking her to my house. You can pick her up there."

"Grrrr." John grumbled from the bottom of his throat. "She's probably fine. She's run away before. She just doesn't like school."

The musical voice laughed again. "Yes, she does seem to be quite the feisty one!"

John smiled, the voice seemed to sooth his soul. "That she is. My wee firecracker. Where do you live? I'll be around as soon as I can to pick her up."

"Hey, no rush. As long as you get here before one. I have a class to teach at Luna at 2:30 so as long as you have her by one o'clock we'll be good."

"Yes, woman. But where do you live?" He grumbled before realizing what he had said. "Oh, sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I know you're concerned about your daughter. I live at 24 Darillium Lane. See you soon!"

Looking down at his phone John was almost sad to have the voice leave. With a sigh he waved down a taxi. "24 Darillium Lane." He barked at the cabby, impatient to see his daughter.

)(x)(x)(x)(

Skipping alongside River, Jenny chatted about everything under the sun, "My favorite sandwich is ham and strawberry jam. Other kids laugh at me but Papa says I just like int'wisting food. Papa said that when he was younger he used to like fish fingers and custard! In't that funny, 'fessor?"

River smiled and shook her head fondly at Jenny.

"Here we are!"

"This your house?" Jenny squinted at the old Victorian style house that stood in front of her.

"Oh no! This is where my friends, Madame Vastra and Jenny live. They look after my daughter when I take Vortex for a walk."

Jenny nodded sagely, "I like Vortex."

"Of course you do." River laughed.

Walking quickly up to the door River rang the doorbell. Jenny reached up and grabbed River's hand, a little scared about who or what might open the door. A moment later a small boy of about ten with light brown skin and a shaved head threw the heavy wooden door open.

"Ma! It's the lady with the big head!"

"Hello to you too Strax." River smiled.

"It's hair Strax." Jenny admonished her son giving him a light shove away from the door. "You know you don't have to ring right? You're always welcome."

"I know. I just thought it might be a bit more exciting for little Jenny here." River nodded down at the little girl who was still clutching at her hand tightly.

"Hello Jenny! My name is Jenny too." Jenny crouched down to smile at her small counter-part.

"Hello." Jenny smiled shyly as she hid behind River's leg.

"River! I'm glad your back. Charlotte was starting to put up a fuss!" A woman with green hair and high cheek bones called down from the top of the stairs.

"Mummy!" A little girl's voice could be heard floating down the stairwell. Walking carefully the little three year old made her way down the stairs.

Jenny gasped quietly from behind River's leg, the other girl had gotten to the bottom of the stairs and now Jenny could see the bandages around her legs and arms and a sore on her face.

"I got another booboo on my leg." Charlie pouted.

"That's not good my little butterfly. Are you ready to go home now?" River asked crouching down to look at her daughter.

"Mhmm!" Charlie gave a little smile before frowning, "Who's that?" She pointed a bandaged hand at Jenny.

"That's Jenny. Why don't you say hello?" River asked.

"Hello."

"Hello."

While the girl's stood shyly, River stood and turned to look at Vastra. "Another blister?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. I made sure to wrap it up properly." Vastra looked at River sadly.

"Thanks." River sighed before looking back down at her daughter.

)(x)(x)(x)(

John sat on the doorstep of 24 Darillium Lane. He had knocked on the blue door and had looked in the windows edged with the same blue but no luck. They weren't home yet. Hopefully it wasn't a trick to get his daughter further away than she was. He clenched his teeth together. If she wasn't here in ten minutes he was going to call the police.

Scuffing his shoe on the concrete John muttered to himself.

"Papa! There's my Papa!"

John's head whipped up at the sound of his daughter's voice. "Jenny!" He cried running over to her and twirling her around. Putting her firmly on the ground he frowned, "You had me very worried young lady!"

"Sorry." Jenny looked at her shoes before turning to River, "The 'fessor was very nice! She let me walk Vortex!"

John then turned his head towards the woman who had found his daughter. His "Thank you" got caught in his throat. She was one of the most beautiful women he had seen. Her voice matched her perfectly. It didn't matter that she was wearing jeans and a hoodie she was as gorgeous as if she were wearing an evening dress. He cleared his throat a few times, "Thank you." He managed to force out.

"That's ok Sweetie." River smiled. "Would you like some tea? I've got a bit of time before I need to leave for the University."

"Sure." John smiled and followed her into her house.

 **A/N: So Charlie has EB. I don't know a whole lot about the medical condition apart from some research that I have done. If I have misrepresented it in this chapter or in any chapters to come please let me know! (I am very sorry if I have). That was not the intention at all!**

 **In the canon of the show CAL was very sick and had to be placed in/connected to the Library. I wanted to have Charlie (and River) have to deal with something serious but I also wanted something that wasn't restricting her to bed rest. Hopefully I captured that. And again, if I've expressed something wrongly I sincerely apologize.**

 **As a side note there are wonderful kids who live with EB and are waiting to be adopted! (Just thought I'd give them a shout out)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

It had been about three months since John had seen River or her daughter. They had met up often since Jenny had run away. Surprisingly she hadn't had one incident since the day River found her. He had even learnt more about Charlotte and how she came to be with River. River explained to him that Charlotte had EB or Epidermolysis Bullosa. She had been found very sick and weak by two university students who didn't know what to do so they brought her to River. Quickly taking action River had brought the little girl to the hospital and adopted her shortly after.

John frowned as he thought back to that first cup of tea that they shared together. River had said something unusual. She said that by adopting Charlotte she had something to live for, uncertain if he could push the subject he had just nodded but now her words spun around his head. He hadn't known her long and yet he still worried about her. He hadn't found out much about River, she was very tight with her private life, particularly her background. All he knew was that she was a Professor of Archeology at Luna University. But then, who was he to judge? He wasn't very forthcoming about his past either.

He fiddled with his phone debating if he should call River and set up a play date or a dinner. River had always been to one to initiate it before, she had been so happy that Charlie might have a friend and made sure the girls got together regularly. But maybe Charlie wasn't doing very well. Maybe she just needed a rest. John groaned slightly. What to do? What to do?

"Well? Are you going to ring her or not?"

At the sound of the voice John spun to look at the young woman in the doorway. "Clara!"

"Yes, Doctor it's me. Now are you going to call her or just pine over the phone?" Clara smiled cheekily making sure to use her pet name for him.

"I'm not a doctor." He grumbled looking down at the phone in his hands.

"Oh! Come on. You have a doctorate. I can call you 'Doctor' if I want. Now hand it over!" His next door neighbor, and Jenny's babysitter, smiled as she held out her hand.

With a sigh John roughly put the device in her hand.

"Good. Now let's call that lady with the space hair." Clara laughed at John's scowl as she selected the right contact number.

"Hello Sweetie." A husky voice answered the phone.

Clara smirked and covered the mouthpiece 'Sweetie' she mouthed. "Hello! This is Clara."

"Oh." The voice sounded confused and a little bit disappointed.

"Don't worry. I'm just the old man's babysitter. I was wondering if you two had anything planned?"

River laughed. "Not yet, but I'm sure that something could be arranged. But Jenny comes along so you're not going to get any work out of this."

"I know! But John was just–"

"River!" John glared at Clara. "I'm sorry about my nosy friend."

"That's quite all right." River chuckled.

Clara started to make hand gestures to hurry up; frowning, John turned his back to her. "Maybe the girls could get together on Saturday?"

"Mhmm. Sounds good….. No! Charlie don't touch that. Sorry. John got to go!" River rushed.

John held the quiet phone in his hand with a worried look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Clara came to stand in front of him. "Did she say no?"

"Hmm?" John looked up and wiped the sad look from his face. "Oh, no, there is nothing wrong. Charlie was just doing something."

"Charlie?" Clara was confused.

"Her daughter."

"Oh."

"You don't mind taking Jenny to school for me?"

"Of course not! You're my best friend and I love Jenny."

"Thank you." John said gruffly as he walked out the door.

)(x)(x)(x)(

Standing outside one of the largest hospitals in the country John sighed. He used to be one of the top physicists in the world. He worked for governments alongside engineers and chemists to develop smarter weapons so that less civilians would be injured but with greater impact on the enemy. That is until Gallifrey…

The new bomb that they had been working on was unleashed on the small country of Gallifrey. In a single moment everything was destroyed, animals, plants, buildings, and people. Millions of people were killed, most of them innocent lives. Horrified that he had helped to destroy all of those people – the lives of his own people – he had resigned and moved as far away as he could.

The voices still haunted him. When he was a young man he had left Gallifrey to travel after his wife and children had died. At the time he had told himself that is was to clear his head and find a direction for his now lonely life. But who was he kidding? He was sacred and so he ran. His wife and sons had been among the first to die in what was later termed 'The War of Time'. The war had lasted decades and it had ended as all wars do - with no winners, only losers. Some days John felt that he had lost the most.

It had all began in a terrorist attack when the Dalek people from the North began to infiltrate and destroy civilian lives. He along with recruits from all around the world had been driven to finding new ways to kill the enemy while keeping innocents safe. Though he was one of only two Gallireyans among those fighting from beyond the borders of Gallifrey, he knew it was because of who he had lost that he justified what he was doing. He couldn't bear to think of the final moments of his young wife and small boys as they were shot down by a Dalek soldier. The anger and pain that he felt fueled his work to defeat his enemies but the faces of his family that were ever present in his mind pushed him to protect those who couldn't fight for themselves.

Despite his honourable intentions all he ended up doing was destroying lives. It didn't matter that the enemy had been decimated. Was the price of destroying one of the most ancient cultures worth it? Of destroying people who had no say in the war, of children and those he had sworn to protect? And now, no matter how hard he looked there was no one else. No other Gallifreyan left. Well… there was Missy but she had become a nun to pay for her sins in the war. Not that John believed her conversion was real, she had always been a slippery snake but if she wasn't doing anything wrong he would leave her be – maybe she would even change. Missy had been the only other Gallifreyan who was beyond the borders of their country when the bomb hit. John blamed himself and for a couple of years he couldn't bring himself to talk to Missy. He was sure that she would also blame him but much to his surprise she didn't bring up his involvement in it all. Perhaps it was for the best, perhaps she was changing, or perhaps he was the one who changed the most.

Another sigh passed his lips. After destroying all those lives he had vowed once again to help people and so he became a radiology technician. He did it in memory of some of his dearest friends from Gallifrey, Amy and Rory Pond. They had lost their daughter when they were young but they didn't let that stop them. Amy had become a renowned author and Rory a marvelous nurse. They had taught him what it meant to love and showed him the promise that love was. Rory was a great friend but he was also like a father to him, making sure that he stayed in line. And Amy had been a mother to him after… No, it was best not to think of that day.

Oh, how he missed the Ponds.

Taking a big breath to clear his head John walked into the busy hospital.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

"Charlie! Charlie. Oh no. Sweetie." River tried not to let her voice break at the sound of her daughter wailing. During the night a large blister had formed on her shoulder. River had drained it and carefully wrapped the wound but despite the pain medication the little girl was still in a lot of pain. Thankful that she only taught two classes a semester at the university aside from her other responsibilities such as supervising grad students. It meant that she was able to do a lot of her work from home and be with her daughter.

River sat down next to her little girl and began to sing softly to her.

A knock on the door broke the mother and daughter out of their quiet little bubble. "Who's that?" River asked softly as she rose to answer the door.

River opened the door and her stomach dropped. "No." She breathed.

"Melody Pond! Did you ever think you could escape? Just leave? How many years has it been? Three? Four?" A man in a dark suit and a gold earring smiled at her as he took a step closer.

"Adam! No. Please." River backed away until her back collided softly with the wall.

Adam walked closer, the grey at his temples shone in the light contrasting elegantly against the rest of his dark hair. "My mother's dead. You're mine now." He grabbed her chin and made her look into his cold dead eyes, "I am in charge and you will come back."

River pushed back against his chest and widened the space between them, "I don't belong to you or anyone!" She snapped.

"Men." Adam gestured to River and two tall men entered the house and grabbed River. "I have sole control over the Silence. Do you remember? We used to go on missions together. Lying, stealing, killing." His voice lingered fondly over the last word. "Remember those days Mels? When Mother was in charge and we would run together? Well, those days are over. Now, you can join _my_ empire." Adam continued with a smirk as he watched River struggle.

"Mummy?" Charlie walked around the corner.

"Oh! You had a daughter! I'd ask if she was mine but I'd never produce something so…" he curled his lip, "defective."

"Don't you talk about her that way!" River continued to struggle against the tall men who held her tightly but it was to no avail. "And don't you touch her!"

Adam turned to look at River, "Why would I touch her? I have no use for her. I only want you."

"Gahhh!"

"Mummy? What's happening?" Charlotte began to whimper.

"I am going to take your mummy now. You won't see her again. Good bye." Pulling River out of the house and slamming the door shut, Adam and his men left Charlie all alone.

)(x)(x)(x)(

"Mummy! Mummy!" Charlie cried. Looking around she tried to think of what she could do. She just wanted her mummy. Going back to the living room she looked out of the window and watched the bad men drive away with her mum. More sobs filled the air as Charlie sat down and cried. After a while the tears stopped, there was no one to look after her, no one to help her, she was alone.

"Be brave." She muttered to herself. Her mummy was always telling her to be brave. Looking around the room she tried to think of what to do when she heard barking from outside. Vortex was in the backyard and knew something was wrong.

"Bortex." Pushing a chair along the ground so that she could open the door Charlie could feel the blisters forming on her hands from the vibration of the chair. But she kept going, she had to help the big dog. Pulling open the door the skin on her hand ripped and tears fell down her face.

Running quickly through the house Vortex jumped and barked at the front door and scratched furiously. Pulling the chair with her other hand Charlotte made her way to the door. "Bortex! Stop!" she commanded. The dog looked at her curiously and moved away from the door. Opening the front door Charlie whimpered as another piece of skin was torn from her hand.

Wagging his tail Vortex pushed open the door and ran out. Spinning around he watched his little human slowly get down from the chair and follow him outside.

"We have ta go ta Bastra and Jenny's." Charlie said resolutely. Walking slowly with the Great Dane beside her, Charlie made her way down the street and around the corner. Standing in front of the big Victorian house Charlie reached up her weeping hand to push the doorbell.

DING DONG…DING DONG…DING DONG… The sound of the bell echoed through the house.

"What do you want?!" Strax threw open the door and looked down to see a very upset Charlie standing in front of him. "Ma!" He yelled behind him. "It's ok Charlie. Come inside or I'll blow you up for the glory of the Sontaran Empire!" He smiled at the little girl and pulled a funny face.

Charlie giggled at their private joke and followed him inside.

"What is it Strax?" Jenny called as she made her way from the kitchen.

"Charlie's here."

"What? She's not meant to come today." Jenny replied as she rounded the corner. "Oh dear!" She whispered as her eyes took in the tear stained girl who held her hands out away from her body. "What happened Charlotte?"

"Bad men took away Mummy and my hands have booboos!" Charlotte started to cry again.

)(x)(x)(x)(

"You need to come home right away. Charlotte came over by herself with open wounds and blisters on her hands."

"What? Where is River?" Vastra demanded.

"I don't know. Charlotte said that some bad men took her away. What should we do?"

"I'm going to come home. Until we find River this will be my top priority case." Vastra quickly locked the office of 'Paternoster Detective Agency' and made her way home to her wife and son. When she got home she found Jenny pacing the kitchen and Strax playing video games with Charlotte watching.

"Oh good! You're home." Jenny exclaimed. "What are we going to do?"

"Have you been to River's house yet?"

"No. I tried ringing but there was no answer. I've been watching the kids, Charlotte has been very upset."

"I'm going to go look at her house and see if I can find anything." Vastra said as she closed the gap between her and Jenny. "We will find her." Vastra promised quietly before placing a light kiss on Jenny's temple.

Vastra opened the door quietly to River's house, everything looked normal. There was no overturned furniture, no blood splatters, and no broken glass. There were some scratch marks on the front door but they looked like Vortex was just trying to get out. From all appearances it looked like River and Charlotte had just gone out. The only thing of any interest was River's cellphone sitting on the bench. Picking it up Vastra turned it on and opened the emergency contact list. Her number was listed first with Jenny's under it. What surprised her was that there was another number listed besides the university and Charlie's EB nurse, Mr. Moon.

"Who are you John?" Vastra muttered to herself. Dialing the number Vastra reminded herself to breathe.

"River!" A male's voice with a Scottish accent answered after the second ring.

"No. I'm sorry. Who are you?"

"What? Where's River? Is she ok? Is Charlie ok?" The man's voice sounded panicked.

"Charlotte is ok but River is missing. Who are you?" Vastra demanded impatiently.

"What?! Oh. I'm John, John Noble. Is there anything I can do?"

"Who are you John? How do you know River?"

"She found my daughter when she ran away a couple of months ago. We have been meeting up about once a week. We were meant to get together on Saturday so that the girls could play. Who are you?"

"That is of no consequence. Do you have any idea where River may have gone?" Vastra answered sharply.

"No. None. She wasn't very open about her private life. Please, how can I help?"

"There is nothing that you can do. Good bye." Vastra hung up promptly and headed back towards her house to discuss what else could be done.

)(x)(x)(x)(

John looked numbly down at the phone in his hand. Nothing his arse. Making his excuses at work he rushed to Jenny's school and pulled her out of class to her great pleasure. Flying past his apartment John grabbed Clara despite her protestations about a date with Danny that evening stating that he needed her help. His next stop was the police department where his friends Martha Jones-Smith and David Smith (partners but not to be confused as married) worked as detectives.

"What do you mean your friend went missing?" David asked while sipping his coffee.

"That's exactly what I mean! I got a phone call from River's number but it wasn't her. The woman on the other end said that Charlie was ok but River was gone." John replied brusquely.

Martha placed her coffee coloured hand on top of John's clenched fist, "Who's Charlie?" she asked softly.

"My friend!" Jenny shouted. She was worried by her father's actions and words but she didn't know what was wrong. "She's good. She's not in trouble is she?"

"No. Charlie's not in trouble." Clara soothed.

"We can't open an investigation until we know your friend is missing. Do you know where she lives?"

John nodded.

"This is her house." John said as he gestured towards the quiet building.

"Martha, I'll take a look in here. I want you to go question some of the neighbors." David said over his shoulder as he began to pick the lock.

 **A/N: So the villain emerges! Just a heads up, I said that there are cameos of other characters in this story BUT Adam is NOT the Adam from Rose and the 9th Doctor's era. He is a completely different character. I realized that they shared a name after I had started writing and by the time I had realized he was Adam and another name seemed wrong.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

"Hello! I'm Detective Martha Jones-Smith and I'm wondering if I can ask you a few questions?" Martha asked pleasantly.

"Um. Yeah. Sure." A young blond said as she bounced a baby on her hip.

"Do you know Professor River Song?"

"You mean the lady with the crazy hair across the road? Not really. I mean we're neighbors but we don't really talk, yeah?" The girl shrugged apologetically.

"Have you noticed anything unusual going on recently?"

"No. At least not today, but I was out most of the day. My husband though, he was in. Chris!" The girl turned to yell back into the house. "Chris! The cops wanna speak with you!"

An older man with short cropped hair and a leather jacket came to the door. "I haven't done anything." He grumbled.

"Hello! I'm Detective Jones-Smith. Did you notice anything unusual today? Anything to do with Professor River Song?"

"River Song? Who's she?" Chris questioned.

"You know, the lady with the space hair? Across the road?" His young wife nudged him with her elbow.

"You mean the one with the kid with all the bandages? No, I didn't notice anything."

"Well. Thank you for your cooperation." Martha began.

"Wait! That's not quite true. There was this limo that did pull up this morning. Very weird in this neighborhood but I thought nothing of it. I think three blokes got out of it but I'm not sure. I didn't see anything else… I went to have a shower." The man ended apologetically. "Why? Something wrong? Is she getting booked for child abuse or something?"

"Chris!" The girl admonished in a rough whisper.

"A kid shouldn't be covered in that many bandages, Rosie!"

Rose shot her husband a well earned glare.

"Sorry, Rose." He mumbled.

"Thank you. That will be all. If you remember anything else please don't hesitate to call." Martha smiled as she handed over her card.

The rest of the houses on the street brought the same story. A limo had arrived at the Song household sometime in the morning with three men in suits going to the door. Most of the neighbors had lost interest after that but one particularly observant, or nosy, older lady had continued to watch.

"After a short while the woman, Professor Song, came back out of the house with the men and got into the limo. Her little girl wasn't with her," she told Martha, "poor child, she has a skin condition. All those bandages." She had tisked with a shake of her head. "A while later I saw the child and that big brute of a dog leave the house and walk down the road. Who leaves such a small child alone? Bad parenting I tell you." The old woman continued.

Reflecting on the story that had pieced itself together Martha wasn't happy with what this could mean for River or her daughter.

"Good! You're back." David smiled as Martha walked up the pathway. "There is nothing to be found in the house. Her computer is here, though, so we will bring in your husband to see if he can take a crack at it."

"Ok. Hopefully Mickey can help." Martha nodded.

"Did you find anything?" David asked as he closed the blue door.

"The stories seem to match up. River was either kidnapped or went consentingly with three men in a limo, and her daughter was left behind."

"River would never leave Charlie by herself!" John shouted angrily the implication of her doing so ringing painfully in his head.

"When 'fessor takes Vortex for a walk Charlie stays with Madame and Jenny. She'd never leave Charlie by herself!" Jenny interrupted in agreement with her father.

"Who are Madame and Jenny?" David asked crouching down to look at Jenny.

"'fessor's friends."

"Do you know where they live?"

"Uh-ha." Jenny nodded as she pointed down the street.

"David! That's the way that the old lady said River's daughter went." Martha exclaimed.

"Could you show us the house?" David asked the little girl.

"I think so."

 **A/N: I know this chapter was short but it was necessary to break it there. Forgive me? :)**

 **Not to worry, the following chapter will be longer!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

John groaned for the fourth time in minutes.

"If you keep that up I'm going to leave!" Clara snapped. "I know you're worried about River but we will find her. Micky is looking at her computer, hopefully he'll find something. There are so many people working on this. Doctor," she placed her hand gently on his arm, "She'll be ok."

"It's been four days and nothing. When will those pudding brains find anything?" John stood up and began to pace.

"Insulting people is not going to help!" Clara yelled, grabbing her coat from the couch she stormed past her friend and out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

"Ahhhhhh!" John pulled at his hair. Jenny was at school and Charlie was safe at Vastra's which meant that he was left alone with his darkening thoughts.

The sound of the phone drew John out of the deep recesses of his mind. "What?!" He growled.

"Micky's found something. It was heavily encrypted but he's getting through it. Do you want to come over? By the time you get here he should be done." Martha said patiently.

"Of course. Have you let Vastra and David know?"

"David is here with us but otherwise you're the first."

"Thank you," John sighed. "You should still let Vastra know.

"I don't trust her. She's a P.I." Martha groaned.

"River trusted her. We need to too."

)(x)(x)(x)(

John stood in front of Clara's door, he raised his hand to knock on the rich brown wood when he heard some noise from inside.

"...I don't know what to do! He's my best friend but he can be impossible sometimes. I know he's worried about River. He tries to hide it, but he loves her. It's good, I'm glad he's found someone else… especially after Donna. But…. He's so, so, Alien! It's like he's from another planet. What do I do?" Clara's agitated voice floated through the wooden door.

"Just be there for him." Clara's boyfriend suggested. "I know he hates soldiers–"

"He doesn't hate soldiers… It think there's some story there but he won't tell me." Clara sighed.

"Either way," Danny continued, "it's like he's a General who's used to giving orders and having information and knowing how to react to the circumstances but this is a whole new scenario where he's not in charge and has to wait on the others. He has to give up the control and that's hard for him. On top of that there's this woman, who he may or may not have feelings for.."

Clara snorted.

"Ok, ok." Danny's voice was filled with mirth, "this woman he has feelings for and she's gone. He's probably afraid that something terrible is going to happen. Like it did with Donna. Look, Clara, you just need to be there for him."

"Yeah…"

John lowered his hand and rested his head against the door. A sigh left his lips as he tried not to let the tears escape.

"Ahh!" Clara jumped as John stumbled forward, the bronze doorknob still in her hand. "Doctor!" She exclaimed her eyes seeming to grow to massive proportions.

"Clara. eyes are doing that thing." He waved his hand in a circle about her face.

"What are you doing?!" She huffed, her fists balling up and resting on her hips.

"I wanted to let you know that Mickey might have found something." John glanced at his feet.

"Oh. Oh! That's good!" She smiled. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"PE's here." Danny groaned at the nickname. "You probably want to stay."

"No, it's fine." Danny said, standing up from the couch, "You go with him." He lowered his mouth to her ear, "He needs you."

Clara gave Danny a small smile and a quick kiss on the lips, "Stay safe Sargent Pink". She said before heading out the door with John.

)(x)(x)(x)(

Vastra, David, Martha, and John stood around Micky as he brought up the file on the computer, "It's titled 'In case of Silence.' I thought that I had decrypted it but all I'm getting is these weird circular symbols. I'm not sure what to do. I thought one of you might have an idea." Micky looked up at the others as he opened the file.

"What is it?" David wondered as he bent closer to the screen to investigate the unusual symbols.

"I've seen those markings before!" Vastra said, "River sometimes makes them when she's trying to think. I thought they were just doodles but maybe they're something more?" She looked over at John and gasped.

From the moment the file had been brought up all the blood had drained from John's face. Bile rose in his throat as he tried to understand what he was seeing. It couldn't be. He hadn't seen Gallifreyan in years. The symbols that had confused Mickey were Circular Gallifreyan – one of two written languages used on Gallifrey. Highly complicated and like Old High Gallifreyan, it had only been used within Gallifrey herself. Since the destruction of the country he hadn't seen anything written in either language apart from what had been written by his own hand.

"You know what it is, don't you?" Vastra asked quietly, resting her hand gently on his arm.

John nodded numbly, "Can you print it out?" He croaked.

"Sure, mate." Micky nodded.

A few minutes later John had the page in his trembling hands.

"Do you want some tea?" Jenny asked with concern.

John shook his head as he began writing a rough translation on a clean sheet of paper.

"What does it say?" David asked sitting beside his friend.

"There's not much." John began with a tap of the pen against the bright white of the paper, "And unfortunately Gallifreyan is very difficult to translate."

"Almost impossible for any normal person," he whispered before returning to a regular tone, "The word forms are very different from English. But it goes something like this: 'In case of Silence,' she seems to have made that a noun, 'please ensure my daughter is safe. She is like the Towers that give me hope.' Then, and this part is weird, River uses a word that could probably be translated into Captain." John shrugged with a little frown. "The next bit confused me until I realized that she used the symbols to transliterate English. It's a name 'Jack Harkness'. Then there is a string of numbers."

"That looks like a phone number." Vastra suggested.

"Other than that and something about the only water in the forest being a river, there really isn't much else." John looked around at the confused faces at the table. His own face matching theirs and his mind rapidly trying to make sense of the situation.

"You could try the number. See who it calls." Clara said, "Maybe it contacts this Captain Jack person."

David nodded and looked at Martha, "Can you do that?"

"Yes. Whose phone should we use?"

Vastra frowned and ran her green fingernails through her short brown hair that had been tipped with green, "River obviously went to a lot of effort to keep this hidden. Perhaps we use her phone. We don't want to scare off this Jack fellow. If this number will even reach him."

Martha nodded and picked up River's phone. Carefully inputting the numbers in, she held her breath as the phone rang.

"Mels! Long-time no see." A flirtatious American male voice answered. "What do you need? Bullets? A new gun? I have a good one that just came in, it disintegrates squares out of objects. Could be handy for a quick escape." The man laughed. "You haven't blown your identity have you? Do you know how long it took for me to set up that whole 'River Song' persona? The name is genius by the way! Don't know how you thought of it!

"I'm sorry I just keep blabbing. I haven't talked to you in… what is it? Probably close to a year. Oh! There's this knife I've been saving for you. She's a beauty. Will cut through anything like hot butter. Mels? Mels, are you there?

The man's voice got hard. "Look, I know we left off on the wrong foot. But I'm trying ok. We will shut down them down. It just takes time."

Martha's jaw had dropped as soon as the man had begun talking, "I'm sorry." She finally managed to get out. "Who are you?"

"What?!" Jack growled. "Who are you? How'd you get this number? Damn!" He swore as his mind went back through what he had said. Only Mels had this number and the call had come from her phone so he had assumed that it was her. How could he be so careless? Just because they hadn't had any issues with Mel's security in years did not excuse him from taking the utmost precautions. Especially not for a woman like Melody Pond.

"I'm Detective Martha Jones-Smith and I'm working with Detective David Smith. We are looking into the disappearance and possible kidnapping of Professor River Song."

"What?!" The man interjected.

"Yes. Professor River Song. A file was found on her computer that had this number on it."

"Ahhhh. Captain Jack Harkness at your service." The flirtation returned to his voice, even his name sounded like an innuendo.

"We were wondering if you could answer some questions about her. What do you know of Silence?"

"Shit." Jack swore again. "It's not safe. We can't talk over the phone. I'll meet you." He rapped out quickly.

Martha screwed up her face as she looked down at the phone in her hand. "He hung up. He said he's going to meet us but how would he know where we are?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

 **So this chapter is another short one (don't kill me!). The reason for this is that it was the best place to put a break. Don't worry though, the other chapters will be longer than this one ;)**

River tried to suppress an involuntary shiver as Adam ran his finger down her bare arm. She was dressed in a strapless dark green dress that flowed around her ankles. Sitting across the small candle-lit table was Adam. Son of the late Madame Kovarian, the originator and boss of the criminal organization known as the Silence. At one point he was her partner and lover but now his very presence was repulsive. She kept her eyes firmly on the uneaten food that was going cold in front of her.

"I've missed you." He said.

River remained silent the only indication that she gave that she heard him was the glare that she gave him over the expensive food she could only pick at.

Adam sighed. "It will be easier if you just cooperate. I know it's been years since we've worked together. We were so good together Melody. You and me." He brushed a curl away from her face. "We were unstoppable." He grinned.

River pulled away.

Adam pulled his hand back with a sigh, "I know you don't like this. You never liked it when someone tried to control you." He sighed again, rubbing his hand across his angular face he sat back in his chair. "I know it was you."

River looked up from her plate in surprise. She dropped the fork that she was holding and it clanged against the white china plate.

"You and Captain Jack," Adam spat the man's name, "were leaking secrets to the agent known as the 'Super Temp'. What a ridiculous name." He shook his head, "It was because of her that there was a raid on Storm Cage and Mother was killed. She had been electrocuted to death but I couldn't let her death be the end of everything she had worked for. Then I found her…" He leaned in close to River and lowered his voice, "It took me a few years but I found the 'Super Temp'. Did you know she was married and had a daughter?" He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers.

"We staged a little accident. Unfortunately it didn't go as planned – you were always our best assassin – but she was injured. She lost her memory and now every time she sees her daughter or her husband her head burns in agony. Do you know what her name is? No? Donna Noble."

A gasp burst from River's lips against her will.

A sly smile broke over Adam's face, "That's right, that old man you have become friends with – you killed his wife. Sure, she's still alive. But who she was is dead. It was because of what you did that your friend doesn't have a wife and his daughter doesn't have a mother. Do you really think he'll like you after he finds out? After the little girl finds out?"

He stood up and walked behind her, placing his hands on her bare shoulders he whispered, "You were made to kill Mels. You're good at it. Why pretend to be something you're not? Come back, do what you are trained to do. Come back to me. We will be great together… it will be like old times, but now we will be in charge. What you did before with Jack will be forgotten. We can start again. That little girl you pretend is your daughter is better off without you. You belong here, with me." He lowered his head to her neck and placed a soft kiss against her skin.

River pulled away again. She turned her head and looked up him, anger and confusion danced in her eyes.

Adam glared. "Fine! Have it your way. I'll be back. You will rule this empire with me or you will die – painfully. Your choice." He slammed his palm against the small table making the glasses rattle. With a final glare and snort of his nostrils he left the room, his jacket flowing out behind him.

The door closed with a slam and River dropped her face into her hands. Alone but doubting her whole existence.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:**

 **A/N: here you go, something bigger :)**

Looking to either side of him to make sure that he hadn't been followed, Jack reached out and pressed the doorbell.

He heard the sound of footsteps pounding towards the door as the sound of the bell faded. Flexing his knees in a subconscious preparation to fight or run Jack readied himself to meet whatever was on the other side of the heavy wooden door. The door swung open and to his surprise there was no gun pointed at his face just three sets of eyes staring up at him; a girl with blond pigtails, a tanned boy, and a large black and white dog. Smiling at them Jack was about to ask to come in when he heard Charlie's voice floating through the hall.

"Mummy? Is Mummy back?"

"Charlie!" Jack called.

A squeal sounded from the little girl as she rounded the corner, "Uncle Jack!" She screamed with joy.

"How are you pipsqueak?" Jack crouched down to her height.

Charlie nodded happily, "Good. I hurt my hands." She stretched out her bandaged hands to show him, "They get better." She nodded but soon her face screwed up, "But Mummy's gone. Bad men took her! I miss her. You get Mummy!" She started to cry, her tears leaving streaks down her face.

"Hey, hey." He soothed, "I'll find your mummy. Ok, Kiddo? Uncle Jack will find her, I promise."

The little girl nodded with a sniff.

Jack felt someone pull him up by his collar. He didn't recognize the man but that didn't stop him from trying to wriggle out of the other man's grasp with a glare. "You shouldn't promise something you can't be certain of." The older man growled softly, his Scottish accent thick.

Landing on his feet Jack turned to look at John, "I will find her. It's just a matter of how long." He scowled before making his way through the house.

After the kids were set in front of a movie, introductions given, and everyone was sitting around the large oak table, Jack began to speak, "I don't know how much you all know about Mels… I mean River, but there is a lot she probably didn't tell you. If it weren't for her disappearance I wouldn't be here and I certainly wouldn't tell you what I am about to say. But I think it is important that you hear it – no matter how difficult – so that you know what we are up against. I can tell you now, it won't be easy." He shook his head lightly as he looked around the room to make sure he had their attention before he continued.

"The Silence are a criminal organization that began under Madame Kovarian in an effort to remove corrupt leaders. It soon turned to all sorts of crimes, including assassination for hire to the highest bidder. What made Kovarian so effective is that she practically had everyone under mind control. The people who joined and trained believed that what they were doing was for the safety and betterment of the world. If they figured out the truth then they were either killed or didn't care anymore and continued within the organization.

"One of the most horrible things I think Kovarian has ever done was to kidnap a young child. She knew that the people of Gallifrey were among the most advanced people on the planet. It was her plan to train one of these children. She wanted a super weapon. A child trained in her organization, brainwashed, and ready to kill. And so a child was taken from a Gallifreyan family and grew up in the clutches of the Madame.

"Her training was rigorous from a young age. Not only was she educated in the ways in which to kill and injure, she was also given one of the most comprehensive and sophisticated educations one could receive. But it had a spin, she knew of the evils of man and grew up believing that she was chosen to save humanity. She was beaten, electrocuted, and suffered unimaginable horrors all with the reasoning that this is what humanity does and that she had to know what it was like and how to push through it so that she could destroy it. Any other child would not have survived.

"The only good in her life was Kovarian's son, Adam. They grew up together, they trained together. In the end they were the perfect pair of innocence and malice. They began to do missions together, executing kills with finesse and skill that the older members could only dream of. Kovarian was so proud. Her dreams were becoming realized. Soon the two were the most feared and respected assassins in the world.

"I also worked for the Silence. Don't give those looks! Hear me out, not is what it seems." Jack smiled and raised his hands in mock defense, "I was a simple con-man just trying to get along when I heard about the Silence. I was trained to be one of their Time Agents. It was my job to prepare and guide the assassin to their kill. It was up to me to make sure that the timing was executed perfectly. It was also up to me to finish the kill if it went sour or to eliminate the assassin if he or she was compromised.

"I quickly moved through the ranks and became the Time Agent for Adam and Mels, or as you know her better – Professor River Song. Mels and I became good friends. There were, and if I'm honest, still are times, when I wish we were more, but she and Adam were an item. They were a team through and through, on the field and in the bedroom." Jack's voice lingered suggestively.

"We get it Jack." Martha interrupted.

"Right. Right. Where was I?"

"Adam and River." David said.

"Yes, ok. Adam and Mels were close. But Mels began to suspect that it wasn't all black and white like she had been lead to believe. She had been trying to push it out of her mind for years but soon it became too much. She couldn't talk to Adam about it, he would just tell the Madame and he was becoming harder. He was ready to take over, he was moving from being her lover and partner to eyeing his mother's position. But if there was only one thing that Mels was scared of, it was Madame Kovarian. So she talked to me. I did some digging and told her what I found. She was horrified to realize that she had been used, that she had been kidnapped and that she wasn't helping anyone.

"For a while she became hard and dark, believing that the only thing that she was good for was to kill. She soon surpassed Adam in skill and intelligence on missions. She wanted to go solo but Kovarian wouldn't let her. She saw Mels and Adam as being inseparable. Kovarian didn't want to compromise the perfection that she believed that she had attained in Adam and Mels.

"For a while I was afraid that there would be no way to get either of them back. I knew I had lost Adam to the shadows but I was adamant that I wouldn't lose Mels. I tried to talk to her but she shut herself off. But then there came news that Gallifrey had been destroyed. Mels was distraught. She knew that was where she was from and I think she may have even hoped to find her family and return. When the country burned she came to me. She told me that she couldn't be a part of the Silence any more.

"We began to plan. I contacted an agent and began leaking information about the Silence to her. It took a while but eventually she had enough information to plan a raid on the organization. We were in the main base when it happened. In the chaos Kovarian was killed and Mels and I escaped. I got her a new identity as River Song – it was a play on her birth name, Melody Pond…"

"Pond?!" John shouted, any thoughts shot out of his head as images of the Ponds burned across his mind. Reaching across the table, he grabbed the lapels of Jack's coat. "Who were her parents?!"

"Amelia and Rory Pond. I think they went by Williams, but I'm not sure. Let me go!" Jack pushed John's hands off his coat.

In shock John stood quietly and in a trance like state left the room. Clara leaped up and rushed after him.

"As I was saying," Jack picked up where he left off with only a quick glance at the retreating form of Clara, "I got Mels a new identity. She became a Professor and got to have the chance to live a normal life. A life she never had the opportunity to have before. That was almost five years ago now.

"I founded Torchwood and along with my team we are trying to bring the Silence down. Unfortunately, it's been harder than anticipated. Adam has been building the organization back up. He found the agent that we leaked information to and destroyed her life. And now he has Mels. He won't settle for anything except for her by his side. If she refuses I can't stand to think of what he might do, my guess is something painful, and quite possibly deadly."

"Since you know so much about all of this." David frowned, "Why don't you tell us where she is?"

"My guess, from what I've heard about the new Silence base when I've gone to _The Harmony and Redemption-_ "

" _The Harmony and Redemption_?" Vastra asked.

"It's an underground bar where the criminal element likes to kick back and relax." Jack waved the explanation away with his hand and a smile. "I think she's going to be at the new headquarters on the island of Trenzalore."

)(x)(x)(x)(

John walked aimlessly through the house. Gallifrey. River was Gallifreyan. And he had destroyed her country, his country, their country. She will think he's a monster. He was a monster. He sat dejectedly on the stairs. Clara tried to say something to him but he couldn't hear her. He waved her away like she was an annoying gnat. She huffed but eventually left him alone to his thoughts.

The soft sound of singing pulled him out from within his mind. He looked up, it was the sound of a Gallifreyan children's song. The person singing was mostly humming but every so often a word would be said. The pronunciation was a bit off but he knew the words. He stood up quickly and made his way to where the song was coming from. John entered the small room, his hands were shaking and tears were flowing down his face. Sitting there in the room staring out of the window was Charlotte. She was humming to herself and every now and again she would try to sing some of the words.

"Do you know the song?" John asked quietly.

With a gasp Charlie broke off and turned around. She frowned at the sight of John's tear stained face but nodded at his question. "Mummy sings for me." She said.

"Would you like me to sing it for you?" John asked as he sat beside the little girl.

"You know it?" Her face lit up.

"I do lass."

"Please?"

John nodded and closed his eyes. Thinking of all the times he had sung it as a boy he began, " _Under twin suns, where leaves are made of silver_ ," he started soft and slow singing in the ancient language of Gallifrey.

" _I will run and play, on the bright hills of Gallifrey._

 _I see the Citadel, standing strong and fair._

 _One day I'll take my place, among the Lords and Ladies there._

 _Until that day, when I make my way, and stand beneath the dome….._

 _When I'll pledge my heart to Gallifrey alone…._

 _I'm gonna stand here….._

 _beneath the shining stars…._ "

He began to pick up the tempo, shouting out the words in song,

" _Singing!_

 _Running!_

 _Playing!_

 _Jumping!_

 _Never leaving!_

 _Never fleeing!_

 _My wonderful…_ "

John drew out the words as the song drew to a close,

" _fantastic….._

 _majestic….._

 _brilliant….._

 _Gaaaaaaaliiiiiiifreyyyyyyyyyyyyyy_."

When John opened his eyes he saw everyone crowded in the doorway watching him. Tears shone in their eyes at the beautiful sounds. Though they could not understand the words being sung the melody of it made their hearts swell.

"I haven't heard that since Mels would sing it." Jack murmured.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

 **A/N: Up until this point there has been no need for this story to be an 'M'. However, this chapter is one of two (three?) that has caused me to bump the rating. It is really borderline between 'M' and 'T' so it's not super crazy descriptive.**

 **Any way, on with the show! *dramatic fanfare***

It had been days since River had seen Adam. The longer she waited the harder it was to fight against what he had said. She tried to keep her friends in the forefront of her mind. Reminding her of who she had become and not what she had been. But it was hard, soon only thoughts of Charlie were of any comfort, but doubts were starting to sink in and take hold.

With a sigh she leant back into the soft cushions that were piled on the bed. She may be a prisoner but she had all luxuries available to her. Drawing her knees up to her chest, she sat up a little straighter. The lock on the door rattled and the door swung open softly to reveal Adam. He was dressed in an expensive black suit making the pale blue cotton button up and black leggings that River had pulled on look horribly out of place.

Looking up at Adam's face River felt her breath catch in her throat. The tenderness and concern that was written across his face as he looked at her reminded her of times past. The times when it was the two of them against the world. The times when he was the only one who seemed to care. The times when he would be soft and gentle, loving her, talking to her, and being there for her. The times before he started to have fits of anger. The times before he would relish the kills they would do, before he would find enjoyment in watching the blood bubble out of the victims mouth and flow onto the floor leaving a crimson puddle.

Even when he had begun to lose his mind it had always been different when he was with her. She had been the soft balm to his increasing insanity. It had gotten worse since she had gone but he still felt the cool soothing presence of her against his burning soul. Adam took a step into the room, closing the door behind him. "Mels," he said using the pet name that only he and Jack would use. The name that wasn't controlled by his mother or anyone else. It was their name, a name that represented the connection between them. "I need you."

River scooted to the end of her bed, her legs dangling over the edge. She looked up with tears in her eyes. All the pain and fear of her life flew away. Looking into his eyes she saw what once was and not the cold hard man that he had begun to change in to. Looking up at him memories of the small moments of happiness that she had known while in the power of the Silence filled her mind. Memories of curling herself around Adam, of having someone understand, someone who loved her despite who she was, loving her because of who she was.

Adam had continued to move slowly towards her. Now, he bent over her, resting his forehead on hers. This time she didn't flinch away, she was transported to times past. He brought his lips down on hers. "I need you, Mels." He pulled back. "You and me, we are the same. We need each other." He brought his lips crashing back down. His hands touching her like they did all those years ago.

During her time with the Silence she had only ever had Adam. When they were young she refused anyone else, even on missions. As they had gotten older and his mind had begun to go he would take others for the sake of a kill but she couldn't. She was terrified of corrupting the only good thing that she had had in her life. When she escaped she had slept with others, Cleo, Diamond, Steven, and Ramone, were just some of the names that came to mind, but none of them were long term. It just wasn't the same.

Sometimes she had gotten oh so close to committing to and with someone else but the fear of losing the meaning and hope that had been a part of what she shared with Adam was too strong and so she stuck to flings. But even then they didn't last long. Not only fear of losing what she had clung to for so long but also fear of trust. She didn't know who she could trust. In the end there had only been a few that she trusted herself and her daughter with but even then she didn't trust them with everything. She had given up the flings and trying to find someone with which to share herself when Charlie came into her life. She had a new reason to live, it wasn't about going through the motions anymore. She didn't need to try to find that _something,_ she had found it. But now, she wasn't so sure. It felt as if it had been a dream, a cruel vision of what she could never have. Of who she could never be.

Soon all thoughts flew from her mind as Adam made love to her. She hadn't been held and touched in this way in a very long time. There was a new roughness to him but she was desperate to bring back the old feelings of love, hope, and comfort that she used to feel in his arms. She wanted to push away the thoughts of who she was and what she would do if she continued to stay here. If she returned to her old self and her old place by Adam's side.

Lying side by side, shimmering with sweat and breathing heavily, Adam ran a soft finger between her breasts. "It was always you." He glanced up at her, "Not matter who else I was with, it was always you."

River grabbed his hand softly and brought it up to her lips.

Adam pulled his hand gently out of hers and ran his fingers down to her stomach. Gently caressing her skin he smiled, "We will have a child, you and I. The commander and his Queen. You always were you know, my Queen. No one can rival you."

A small gasp broke through River's lips, her stomach clenched, and her brow furrowed.

Adam looked up at her, his eyes shining with concern, "What is it my love?"

"After…. After everything your mother did, the drugs, the electrocutions, the training. I don't know if I could."

A scowl shaped Adam's face as he stood. His hand curled around a small cream jug that rested on a little table. Hurling it at a wall with a feral scream, the ceramic smashed and the white liquid ran down the wall. Swear words flew out of his mouth as his face contorted with rage. "We will get the best damn doctors. You will have a child! I will have a child!" He turned to look at River and his voice lowered, softening, "I promise."

A knock on the door broke through the thick tension in the room. "What?!" Adam yelled at the door.

"Sir, we have seven missions about to go live. We need you in the control room." The sound of a man's voice floated through the closed door.

"Right." Adam nodded to himself before turning back to River, his eyes raking over her still naked body. "Get dressed. You are going to see how far we've come since Mother's death. It wasn't in vain." He smiled wickedly.

Following Adam through the winding halls of the base, River's eyes widened. The sophistication and elegance was far beyond what it had been with Madame Kovarian in charge. Entering the control room she looked around, there were multiple screens showing different geographic locations. In addition to the large screens on the wall there were also dozens of computers that many techs sat in front of.

"We are doing seven kills at once." Adam told her gesturing at the different screens that glowed from their place on the wall, "We are making a world-wide statement and this is just the beginning. Silence will fall."

Several tense hours went by and then in a few moments fueled with adrenaline, all seven targets went down. River looked over at Adam, his face set in a mask of concentration as he soaked it all in. As the last body hit the floor and his life blood seeped out over the tiles a sinister smile spread across her old lover's face.

"Send the footage to my office." He demanded.

"Yes, sir." A young woman nodded before hurrying off to do his bidding.

"Mels, with me." Adam walked off towards a door on the other side of the room without even a glance behind to make sure she was following him, rubbing his hands in gleeful anticipation.

Standing beside him as he watched the clips of the kills over and over, making notes and subtlety licking his lips River was reminded that Adam wasn't her friend, confidant, and lover anymore. He wasn't the gentle young man who had found himself in a world of killing or be killed; pushed and controlled by his psychopathic mother. He was a hardened man who took joy in seeing another be cut down. He was a man who had been successfully molded into his mother's image. Her best friend was gone, he was sick and lost, and she didn't think he'd ever come back.

)(x)(x)(x)(

Months had gone by since she had found herself back in the arms of Adam. The thoughts of her daughter and her friends were increasingly far from her mind. Hours of training, studying, and reminding herself of what she had left behind before she became a Professor and Mother filled her days. Between training and coaching recruits River had been assessed by multiple doctors. She didn't know why Adam bothered to bring anyone in after he shot the fourth doctor for telling him that they wouldn't be able to have a child.

He was set on having a child. The longer it went without her getting pregnant the more agitated he got. He rarely looked at her like he had the first night, like he had when they were young. She wasn't his lover, his friend, his partner in arms. The longer time moved on the more she became a means to an end, the way in which he could continue the dynasty his mother had begun. River wasn't sure why he was so set on her being the mother of his child, he could have used any woman, and many of his own assassins would have been delighted to be chosen. Perhaps it was the memories of times past. The last remnants of sanity still lingering within his mind.

There were still times when he would look at her as if she was the sun that lit up his world. But those times were growing ever rarer, a fleeting moment in the early hours of the day, a stolen look across the table or control room. As time grew between these moments River found him looking at her with increasing agitation.

He would take her whenever it took his fancy. No longer the pastime of lovers, no, it was a matter of desperation. She would find herself backed into a closet, pressed against a wall, led into an empty training room, or even called to his office over the speaker system. It was embarrassing and degrading, and she wasn't sure what to do. In the beginning she had tried to fight back but there was nowhere to go, no one to run to. The sex wasn't done with the careful treatment and adoration that it had been when they were young. As the days went past and the nights grew longer it had become a desperate act of a desperate man.

The fear of losing the one good thing of her younger years was realized. The memory of all those times that Adam had held her in his arms tenderly and lovingly was corrupted and destroyed. There was no joy in her life, she pushed the pain and emotional turmoil into the far reaches of her mind. She hid the damage as she had learned to so long ago. Any healing that had happened when she was out of the clutches of the Silence was gone. Every day that went by was a day that brought her closer to who she had been and not the woman that she had become.

The doctor raised his shaking hands at the sight of the gun pointed at his head, "I'm ssssorry." He stammered. "Even if you two were not advancing in age–"

River was shaken out of her musings. She stood beside Adam in a private room that was used only for meeting with the different doctors that Adam brought in. The room was simple and elegant. There were plush red chairs and a small mahogany table but none of them were sitting. River frowned at the quivering round little man, she might be in this situation against her will and she might disagree with Adam's decision to point guns at things and people he didn't like, but that didn't mean she appreciated being called old.

"–you still wouldn't be compatible."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Adam growled, his finger resting on the trigger of the hand gun.

"Wwwwell, I did DNA testing."

"Yes I know!" Adam yelled, "It cost me a bloody fortune."

"Y.y. . It's just that she's Gallifreyan."

"We know that already!" Adam was almost foaming at the mouth in frustration.

"But that's the problem." The little man quaked, sweat running down the side of his head and dampening the collar of his mauve shirt.

"I don't understand." River started. "What has my nationality have to do with anything?"

The round man turned to look at her, his hands still held in the air, "Due to some unknown event in the past, Gallifreyans are more advanced than other people groups."

"Yes. That's why Mother wanted her." Adam glared, "Get to the point."

"Well, intelligence wasn't the only thing effected. There was change right down to the DNA. A Gallifreyan's DNA just isn't compatible with anyone else. Some think it is a matter of evolution, others put it down to aliens or a cataclysmic event in the past." The little man shrugged, his hands still raised in the air in defense, "Only a Gallifreyan can reproduce with another Gallifreyan. It's a matter of biology. I'm sorry."

"I rather think you should be." Adam snarled before pulling the trigger. The little man's head flew back and his body slumped to the floor, blood running down his face and onto the floor.

River looked down at the body and sighed, now the room would have to be cleaned.

Adam turned to River and he threw the gun to the floor. His eyes blazed with fire, "You useless woman."

River frowned and bit back a retort. She had learned the hard way that when the anger pooled in him that there was nothing she could do. It was over faster if she just kept silent, no matter how satisfying it would be to fight back.

He stalked closer to her, grabbing her wrist roughly as he pushed her against the wall.

River gritted her teeth in preparation for what was to come when the clouds lifted from his eyes and she could see the old Adam. His face crumpled and he released his grip on her wrist.

Bending his head so that their foreheads touched, he breathed out heavily, "I'm sorry."

"What?" River whispered in shock.

"I'm sorry." He lifted his eyes up to meet hers. "I just wanted this so badly. We had always been partners, always joined. But now… I don't know what to do."

River sighed. She didn't know how long this moment of clarity would last for him. When he would disappear back into the harsh man he had become. "I don't know."

He stepped back with a sigh of his own, "I will set some researchers on the problem." He gave her a soft smile. "We have researchers now. They mostly work on creating new poisons but I'm sure I can spare a few."

River nodded. Maybe, maybe, she would get through this. It was three days before Adam was again lost to her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

 **A/N: this one is a little shorter than the last chapter but hopefully still enjoyable :) Though, brace yourself for a little bit of drama and maybe an answer to a question you might have had after reading the last chapter ;)**

John threw the heavy wrench against the wall. It clanged against the metal wall of the storage container before falling heavily to the floor. It had been almost six months since River was taken, there had been no new leads, despite what Jack might say, and it was taking a toll on everybody. Charlie spent more time crying than not, Jenny was angry that she had lost another mother figure, Martha and David were close to giving up, Vastra was at her wits end, and Jack…. Jack had disappeared. He said that he was following a lead that might help them get into the base on Trenzalore but he hadn't been seen in almost three months.

Groaning, John buried his head in his hands. He would never get this finished. It was an impossibility. The physics just couldn't work.

The sound of the phone ringing drew John's attention to a small bench that held his phone and a cold half-drunk tea that sat in a small takeout cup. Reaching out to grab the phone John tried to keep the hope from blossoming in his chest.

"Yes?"

"Where the hell are you?" Clara demanded from the other end.

John's stomach dropped and he lowered himself onto a round stool, "I'm in the storage container." He had rented one to work on his project.

"I just picked up Jenny from gymnastics after the coach called me. Why weren't you there?"

"I lost track of time." John sighed running the fingers of his free hand through his grey curls.

"Lost track of time?! John," he winced as Clara said his name and not her usual 'Doctor', "You have a daughter. You haven't seen her in days. You haven't gone to work in weeks! I know you're worried about River, we all are, but you need to be a father."

"I have been a father before!" John stood up, his body tingled in agitation, "On Gallifrey, before it burned, I had a wife and two kids. I know what I'm doing."

"You could fool me." Clara breathed out heavily from her nose, "I am not your nanny. You need to get home." She ended the call.

John put the phone down. Running his fingers through his growing hair and then down his face he sighed. Clara was right, she usually was, no matter how vehemently he would deny it. He needed to be a better father. He had been going through the motions or in his own world and not making sure his daughter was ok. He wasn't the only one who had been left with an empty space when River had been taken.

)(x)(x)(x)(

John pushed open the door to his apartment building. Glancing up from the tiled floor he saw David leaning against the wall looking as if he was waiting for someone.

"John!" He called as he moved away from the wall and towards his friend. "I need to talk to you, let's take the stairs."

John scowled, "Clara called you, didn't she?"

David pushed open the door to the stairwell, "It's a good thing she did. Jenny's my daughter just as much as yours. If you don't clean up your act I will look at legal action."

John stopped abruptly on the first landing, David's words had been like a blow to the stomach. Glaring at David he growled, "She is my daughter as much as if she was a clone made only from my cells."

"You and Donna couldn't have a child due to your freaky biology." David was angry, "I helped out. Do you know how hard it is seeing my daughter, my flesh and blood, walking around not knowing? I'm 'Uncle David' and nothing more."

"You agreed to that." John spat.

"Donna was my best friend. The most important woman in the universe to me."

"And me!"

"I couldn't say no. Not to Donna. And now she doesn't remember who I am!" David threw his arm out in frustration, barely missing cracking his hand on the stairway railing.

"At least she doesn't scream when she sees you."

"If you can't take better care of her daughter I will." David's eyes threw daggers at John before pushing past him and stalking off leaving John in shocked silence.

"Idiots." John swore under his breath. "Clara, David, Jack. Idiots! Absolute pudding brains. Don't they know I could solve this?" He mumbled to himself as he unlocked the door to his apartment.

"There you are!" Clara called from the kitchen where she was stirring something in a bowl. "Jenny's had dinner and is in bed." She pushed the bowl into his arms, "I have a date." Leaving the apartment she closed the door loudly behind her.

With a huff he put the bowl on the bench. Walking quickly to Jenny's room he poked his head around the door, "You awake, lass?" He whispered.

"Papa!" Jenny sat up in her bed, her purple duvet pooling around her waist to reveal a pink onesie. The light from the door reflected off of the tear tracks that ran down her face.

"You've been crying?" He asked gruffly but not unkindly as he stepped into her room.

"Mhmm." She sniffed, drawing her knees to her chest.

John sat down on the bed and pulled his daughter into his arms. "What's making you sad? Was it Clara's terrible cooking?"

Jenny laughed and hiccuped. "Clara can't make those poufy things. They always burn." She giggled, rubbing the tears off of her face with a small hand.

"She tried to make you a soufflé?" John laughed rubbing his hand on the little girl's arm comfortingly.

"I missed you Papa." Jenny whispered. "Mummy's gone, River's gone, I don't wanna lose you too." She began to cry again after burying her head into his chest and clinging tightly to his arm.

"Hey, hey." John tried to hush her, rubbing her back and rocking gently, "I'm not going anywhere. Do you want to come with me tomorrow? You don't have to go to school." He smiled, in hopes of distracting her.

The little girl tilted her head back to look at her father, "Tomorrow is Saturday. There is no school."

"Oh. Well, you can definitely come then, lass!" John smiled down at her.

Jenny shook her head fondly and snuggled into John's arms. Soon she was fast asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven:**

 **Oh, in case you were wondering. The reason why I got Strax to say 'Mumzy' is because that's one of the ways that one of my sisters calls our mum. It is kind of like a tribute to both of them.**

John and Jenny Noble stood outside one of the many storage containers in the dry and dusty lot. Jenny held onto her father's hand tightly as she looked around. There were containers for as far as she could see. Only a few people were milling about, walking between the rows of containers, going in or out of the large storage containers.

"Papa, why are we here?" Jenny asked with a frown.

"This is where I've been working on something." John took a rounded silver key out of his pocket and opened the padlock that hung from the door's red paint chipped handle.

As John tugged the door open and slid it to the side Jenny popped her head into the storage unit. Leaning back out she sent a quizzical look to her father, "What is it?"

"Let me show you." John grabbed her hand and gently pulled her into the container while making sure that she didn't trip on the lip of the container. Reaching out he turned on a lamp and then moved across the unit to turn on another lamp.

Jenny gasped as she looked about, in the center was what appeared to be a round table with gadgets placed all around, from leavers and nobs to a keyboard. The edge of the table sloped down so that the middle was the highest point. Rising out of the centre of the table was a tall glass cylinder with a metal rod in the center. Resting at the bottom of the cylinder was a blue glowing light that looked as if it were solid.

Wrenching her eyes from the contraption, the little girl began to survey the room. Apart from the two lamps to give light there was machinery littered about the place. Tools either rested within a dark blue tool box or lay on a little bench in the corner. Gasping, Jenny felt herself being lifted up and placed on a round wooden stool which sat beside the bench.

"What do you think?" John asked as he stepped up to the device and lay his hand on the cool metal surface.

"Very cool." The girl smiled, "What is it?"

"This," he threw his arm out in dramatic emphasis, "is a teleportation machine."

"Tel-e-porsh-a-tion?" Jenny's face screwed up in the effort to say the word.

"Yes," John smiled, "It takes you where you want to go. You put in the place of where you want to be and it just disappears and then shows up where you wanted to go!" He tried to keep it simple enough for his daughter to follow.

"Does it work?" she tilted her head to look at the machine again.

"No. Not yet. But it will!" He tried to stay positive.

"Ok." Jenny was confused but was happy to sit with her father and pass him different tools and parts that he needed.

A lunch break, ice cream break, and hours later John pulled himself out from under the table ledge. "I think it's done." He smiled as he rubbed his hands on a rag.

"What now?"

"Now we test her."

"Her?" Jenny was confused. How could it be a girl if it was a machine and not alive?

"Yes, her." He smiled down at his daughter.

"If she's a girl, does she have a name?" Jenny asked.

"A name. That would be good." John nodded humming to himself. A smile spread across his face. "Idris. Her name is Idris."

"Idris?"

John turned to look at Jenny. "Yes. Idris was my first wife when I still lived in Gallifrey. She loved to travel and go on adventures."

"I thought Mummy was your wife?"

"Yes, but before I met your Mummy and I was young I had another wife and two little boys."

"What happened to them?" Jenny wondered. She hadn't heard this story before.

John's face fell, "They died. I couldn't save them." He tried to put on a smile, "But I can remember them with her." He gestured to the teleportation machine.

"Like we can remember Mummy? When she don't remember us?" Jenny looked up with tears in her eyes.

John kneeled down to look at Jenny in the eyes. "Yes, like we can remember Mummy."

"Uncle David says she's gonna get married." Jenny looked at her fingers, "Does that mean she's never gonna remember me again?"

"She's what?" John's jaw dropped.

Jenny looked at her father, tears began to stream down her face, "She's going to always forget me!" She wailed.

""No, no, the first part. What did David say?" John rested his hands on her small shoulders.

"Married. Mummy's gonna get married. She met him at the ho-spi-tal. His name is Lee. Mummy will never want me." Jenny continued to cry.

John pulled the little girl into his arms, "Hey, hey. Mummy loved you lots before the accident and if she remembers she will still love you, and want you."

Jenny's tears didn't stop. John could feel his shirt becoming wet with the tears and snot that was being passed from Jenny's face to the fabric of his shirt.

"I want you." He whispered into her hair as he pressed soft kisses to his head.

"Hey! How about we try out Idris now?" He tried to distract her.

Jenny looked up with tears in her eyes. "What if it 'splodes?"

"Explodes." John corrected. "I don't think it will." He smiled, "Your Papa is the smartest!"

Jenny raised one eye brow and cocked her lip.

"How you do that…" John mumbled with a shake of his head. "Look, to be safe, we will stand outside the container. Ok?"

"Ok."

John let Jenny go and walked over to the section of the table like machine and began inputting directions. Backing out of the container he grabbed a thin metal stick with a rectangular glass end.

"What's that?" Jenny pointed at the object in his hand.

"It's the remote control."

"It looks like a screwdriver."

"A screwdriver?!" John looked down at the object resting in his hand and shrugged. "You ready?"

"Ah-ha!" Jenny nodded.

John pressed on a small button on the so-dubbed 'screwdriver,' the glass end flashed blue and made a whirring noise. From within the storage unit Idris began to make wheezing and groaning sounds. The blue glow began to move up and down the glass column before the whole contraption disappeared.

John whooped in victory and Jenny clapped her hands excitedly, "Where'd it go, Papa?" She asked.

"Vastra and Jenny's house."

"Why?"

"So that we can talk and go get River." John smiled.

"River?!" The little girl squealed in delight.

)(x)(x)(x)(

Charlie sat on the covered veranda playing with her dolls. Every so often she would look up and watch Strax play with his soccer ball and net. Every time he would kick the ball and it would go into the net he would yell, "For the glory of the Sontaran Empire!" It was a line from one of his video games and no matter how many times his mums would tell him to stop yelling that ridiculous phrase he would still do it.

After one such shout Charlie giggled as she watched Strax do a victory dance around the yard after a difficult shot. He was dancing crazily just to hear Charlie laughing. She didn't laugh much these days. All of a sudden a loud wheezing and groaning filled the air. Charlie stood up quickly with a squeal, "Strax!"

Strax fell over and scuttled away from where a contraption of metal and glass began to appear in the yard. "Charlie! Inside!" He yelled as he tried to stand up. Falling over a few more times he made his way to the veranda and followed Charlie inside. "Ma! Mumzy!" Strax called while he ran around the house looking for his parents.

Jenny and Vastra emerged from their bedroom a little disheveled and more than a little frustrated. "What is it Strax?" Jenny asked as she fixed up her shirt.

Strax began waving his hands about, gesturing to outside, "This- This- _thing_ just appeared outside!"

Vastra scowled and made her way downstairs. She was about to go investigate the yard when her phone began to ring. "Hello?" She answered.

"Jack's back." Martha said from the other end of the line. "We are headed over to your place now."

Vastra frowned and placed her phone back in her pocket, again heading towards the yard. For the second time in moments her phone rang. With a sigh she answered, "What now?"

"Vastra!" John exclaimed out of breath, the sound of traffic almost drowning him out.

"John. John, where are you? I can hardly hear you."

"…and so she should be at your house. Is she there? Did she make it?"

"What? What, are you talking about?" Vastra snapped.

"My teleportation machine! I sent it to your coordinates. Did it get there? We are on our way over now."

Vastra frowned and walked towards the yard. A soft gasp escaped from her lips when her eyes fell on a contraption that sat softly smoking on her grass. "I think I found it John."

)(x)(x)(x)(

They were all crowded into the living room, Vastra, Jenny, John, Clara, Jack, David, Martha, and Mickey. The kids were in the room over eating a snack of strawberries and cream while the adults talked.

"…and so I got hold of the coordinates for Trenzalore. It turns out that the island is bigger than I thought but Demon's Run – that's the name of the base – is on the inhabitable side." Jack poked a finger at the map that lay across the coffee table. "The only thing now is to find a way to get there undetected."

John stood up and began pacing, "Do you have the exact coordinates for the base? Not just the island but the base?"

"Yeah…" Jack turned in his chair to watch John, "Why?"

"I created a teleportation machine. If I had the coordinates I could sneak in and get River." He mused.

Jack looked at him incredulously, "There is no way in hell that you are going to a Silence base alone! Is this machine even workable?"

"Yes. I sent it here from the docks. Look, it's outside right now."

The others stood to follow John out into the yard.

"What is that?!" Jenny exclaimed, "And why is it on my lawn?"

"Her name is Idris." John threw out his arm to show case the machine.

"There is no way that is safe." Vastra folded her arms and shook her head at John.

"You will be seen as soon as you land, or materialize, or whatever." Jack exclaimed.

"Won't you get thrown out? There are no walls." Clara walked past the others to try and get a better look.

"I can create walls and make them invisible." John argued.

"No, you can't." David spoke up.

"Yes, I can." The men stood closer together.

Martha sighed and with Mickey's help she pulled apart the two men who looked as if they were about to come to blows. "Can you do it? Could you really create walls and make it invisible?" She asked over David's shoulder as she held her friend. She could feel him trembling with frustration beneath her grasp.

"Yes. Just give me a few days."

"We don't have days." Jack grumbled, "She's already been there for six months. Who knows what's happened to her."

Vastra turned to Jack, "How long would it take you to get a way in? To have it all set up to get her out?"

Jack clenched his teeth and fisted his hands at his side, "A few days at least." He admitted.

"Well then. Let's see who can be done first. Both of you can start and whoever is able to have everything ready first will be what we go forward with." Vastra nodded to both men before turning and walking back inside.

Jack stalked off with Martha, David, and Mickey close behind.

John looked over at Clara and gave her a questioning look.

She sighed heavily, "Fine! But only until your stupid machine is ready." She frowned at the contraption.

John smiled his thanks before heading inside to talk to his daughter.

"Jenny?" He put his calloused hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, Papa?" She looked up from the colouring book she was doing with Charlie.

"I'm going to be busy for the next couple of days. I'm going to need you to stay with Clara. Can you do that for me?"

Jenny's eyes began to swim, "Why? I thought we were gonna spend time together?"

"I know, I know. This is important. Not that you aren't important, or that this is more important than you. You are very important." He took a deep breath and tried again. "I have to make walls for Idris and make her invisible."

"Like a superhero?"

"Like a superhero." He smiled and patted her on her head, "Thanks lass."

 **A/N: I think that there will be only four chapters to go with this story. So it will be wrapping up soon! Ahhh scary ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:**

Jack took a tentative step into the blue box. John had convinced them that she could be made invisible and as such the bright blue of the outer walls would not be a dead give-a-way when they landed. Jack was pretty sure that they would never make it to their destination but his contacts had fallen through and now their only hope of getting Mels out in the foreseeable future was to trust that John had some semblance of an idea of what he was doing.

A strangled gasp sounded low in his throat as he looked around the room. It was small – John had joked about needing another week to make it 'bigger on the inside' – but sleek. The levers and buttons shone brightly. The glass that reached towards the ceiling practically glowed, Jack could have used it as a mirror when he shaved that morning.

It had been decided that Jack and Martha would be the ones to go with John to find their friend. He knew how the Silence worked, or at least he had the best working knowledge. Jack felt a ball of fear in the pit of his stomach, what if Adam had changed it too much? What if the organization was run completely differently and the layout of the base followed a whole new set of rules? No. He shook his head. There was no point in idle speculation at this time. They would deal with the difficulties as they arose.

Vastra had put up a huge fight to go with them but in the end it was decided that Mels would feel safer knowing that one of her best friends was safe and more importantly that her daughter was safe and being cared for. Vastra was not happy but she eventually conceded and Martha was given the go ahead. Martha was officially in charge of the operation as she was the only governmentally licensed one going but both her and Jack knew that they would have to defer to John as he was the only one who could possibly fly his contraption.

"Ok. We are ready. Jack, the coordinates?" John held out his hand towards the other man.

Martha closed the blue door behind her and looked around in shock, "Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?" She asked, "Shouldn't there be some sort of driver's test or something?"

"If there was, I'm sure I would fail it." John smirked as he began pushing buttons, turning nobs, and pulling levers. "Invisibility… On. Silent mode … On. Coordinates … Set." He reached out a hand and rested it on the throttle. "Ready?" He whispered.

"Allons-y!" Martha smiled back, holding on to the metal bar that circled around the controls.

"Fantastic!" John laughed.

"What are you, nine?" Jack said, "Let's get on with it!"

John pulled down on the large lever, lights shining as the handle passed them. A loud whooshing sound filled the room and the occupants covered their ears.

"Don't worry, I contained the sound to inside!" John shouted, "No one can hear anything outside these walls!"

"What?!" Jack and Martha yelled as they tried to hang on to the console and not get thrown into the walls while simultaneously trying to cover their ears from the extreme noise.

With a final jolt the box stood still. Jack and Martha uncovered their ears and shook their heads in an effort to dispel the ringing.

John looked over at them with a large toothy smile. He gave them the thumbs up, "We made it!"

Martha took a step forward to open the door and go out into one of the many hallways in the base. Jack reached out a hand and held onto Martha's arm. "Wait. We need to be very careful. Not only might we come across any one of the Silence's trained assassins but I don't know how Mels will react. Either she will be pleased to see us… or she might just slit our throats or blow our brains out."

"What?!" Martha glared at Jack.

"She's a trained killer." He hissed, "Since childhood she has been trained and conditioned to kill without remorse and to strike on instinct. We need to be careful. If we are lucky there will be enough of River Song left that she will at least listen to what we have to say."

John clenched his teeth and frowned, the more that he learnt about River's past the angrier he got. She had her childhood stolen away, her life was ripped from her hands, her choices taken from her. He now understood why she was so guarded about her past. Just as he refused to talk about his part in the war that ended Gallifrey, she too was trying to separate herself from her past and create a new identity. Create a new life, one where she had the decisions in her hands, where she could make the choices and not have someone else dictate her life for her.

"…John?" The sound of his name seemed to be coming through a fog, "John?" Martha stood in front of her friend, looking up at him with rich brown eyes that were filled with worry.

John shook his head to dispel the thoughts that had taken him back to the war. He tried to put on a smile and looked down at her, "Yes?"

"Are you ready?"

John nodded and went to stand next to Jack at the door. Slowly his new found friend pushed open the door and peered out into the hallway. Thankfully there was no one to be seen.

"Follow me." Jack whispered.

Walking silently through the cement floored halls the trio glanced around hoping to get some clue as to where they might find River.

They neared the end of the hall and came to a cross section where another hallway cut across. Jack gestured for the others to stay back, tilting his head around the corner he watched as people flowed in and out of a room near the other end of the hallway. A pleased sound escaped his throat when he saw Mels leave the room. He could hear her heals tapping on the floor, she walked with purpose and confidence.

Mels' voice floated back towards him; straining to hear he caught a few snippets, "…send footage…tell him…in library…research…" She was soon too far away for him to hear anymore. Jack watched as she rounded a corner and disappeared.

Turning back to look at Martha and John, "I saw her," he whispered, "There are a lot of people out there and we need to get past them. Walk as if you belong here and know where you are going."

"I do that all the time," John grumbled, "Hurry up." He pushed past Martha and Jack and began striding down the hallway. His impressive eyebrows were drawn down and anyone who looked at him took a step back.

Jack glanced at Martha who shrugged and followed quickly behind John. With a shake of his head and a shrug Jack hurried after Martha and John. Catching up, he trotted alongside John who was walking quietly and quickly.

John turned to look at Jack, "Where are we going?" He whispered out of the side of his mouth.

"She went around that corner." Jack gestured with a tilt of his head.

John quickened his pace and rounded the corner. Jack and Martha struggled to keep up without breaking into a jog. Just as they turned the corner John put his arm out to stop the others. Martha grunted softly as she walked straight into John's outstretched arm.

"Shhh." He pointed towards the end of the hallway. River had just slipped into a room off of the hallway. They watched for a moment and were about to follow her when a man came out of another room and made his way to the room. Reaching out he opened the door and went into the room River had disappeared into.

Jack was breathing heavily and sweat beaded on his forehead.

Martha looked over at Jack, resting a hand on his arm she could feel the tense muscles that quivered under his skin. "What is it?"

"That's Adam. Adam Koverian."

"Who?" John frowned as he crept towards the door.

"I told you about him," Jack began, "He's the son of Madame Kovarian, she was the one who began this." Jack shook his head and lowered his voice as they got closer to the room. "When Mels and I got out he was as bad as she was. I can't imagine…."

"Shut up!" John growled quietly as he pressed his ear to the panel of the door.

"...it's a go. The detonators and canisters of the gas are being placed as we speak."

"But why the Library?" John could hear River's voice.

"Because of the message it will send. People go to the Library to find the truth but today they will find more than that. Mels, humanity seeks the truth and to find it they go to those in charge but it's all a sham. They are being devoured for their resources. They go for help, for information, for entertainment and the people in charge consume them and leave them for dead. This new gas shows the state of the world today.

"The people will go into the Library but they don't know what's in there. But for once their deaths will not be in vain. They will spread the message that Silence will fall. Silence of the corrupt. Silence of those who use others and think only of themselves. Their deaths will be for the betterment of mankind."

John strained to hear what was happening, and after a moment he realized that someone was getting closer to the door. He spun and pushed Martha and Jack towards the nearest door.

Hoping against hope Jack reached out and grasped the door handle. Against all odds the handle turned and the trio fell into the room. It was small, empty, and looked as if it had either never been used or had been abandoned for a long time. Dust puffed up around their ankles as they scuffed their feet and a few cobwebs hung from the corner of the room. Trying to quieten their breathing Jack and Martha pressed their ears up against the door in order to hear if anyone was leaving the room that they had just scrambled away from.

John paced back and forth across the dusty floor and tried to process what he had heard.

"I think it's all clear." Martha said.

John nodded and took the few steps required to close the gap between them.

Following Jack out, they made their way out of the room and towards the other doorway...


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen:**

 **A/N: The action starts to build in this one!**

River let her eyes travel over the spines of the books that sat tucked into the mahogany shelves. The dark cherry colored wood lined the walls of the elegant room. She stood in the research library but to the casual observer who neglected to read the titles of the collected works it was nothing more than a comfortable, sophisticated, and charming library room. A hidden jewel within a base designed for the training of efficient and effective assassins.

River had gone to the library in order to find information on her newest hallucinogenic formula. She was trying to make a lipstick that would cause hallucinations or would make the person kissed susceptible to suggestion. The only problem was that so far it was causing the same results in the test subject who was wearing the lipstick as the one who was being kissed. Either she would need to build up an immunity or create a coating to put on her lips first to protect her. And in all honesty, she wasn't just in the library to research what chemicals might be the most effective, she was really there because this was her favorite place.

She had always loved books and libraries but now they had an ever greater meaning. This room was one in which she could disappear into the realm of knowledge and information. She felt safest when she was in the library, when she could smell the the new books mingling with the old. The sound of pages turning and the feel of the hard spines and smooth pages of the books brought a smile to her lips. In a world that was progressively spinning out of control River would make her way to the library and escape the turmoil. A world of books was one in which she rejoiced, perhaps that was one of the reasons why she chose 'River Song' to be a professor, so that she could be close to her beloved books.

River lightly bit her lip as she pulled out one of the leather covered books about natural poisons and their antidotes. As she flipped through the tome she hummed softly before she paused to read through one of the entries. At the sound of the door opening River sighed loudly in frustration and annoyance without looking up from her book, "Adam, I told you, I will just be a couple of minutes. I need to find out what ingredient I need to use to counteract the lipstick."

"I don't think you need to worry about that Professor." John's Scottish accent had a playful lit to it.

River gasped and dropped the book, it made a solid _thunk_ as it hit the floor losing the place that River had it open to. River's eyes widened at the sight of John's smirk and the twinkle in his eye. Her eyes moved over to Jack and Martha and she frowned, "Why are you here?" She directed at Jack.

"We're here to get you out." Jack smiled as he walked further into the room after closing the door softly behind him.

"And if I don't want to?" River placed her hands on her hips, she radiated defiance.

"Don't give me that." Jack smirked, "It's obvious you and Adam aren't as close as you used to be."

River scoffed with a roll of her eyes, "He would rather we get _much closer_."

John's eyes narrowed as he looked about the room. "Shut up!" He glared at Jack, the unknown feeling of jealousy surged though his body at the thought of someone else being intimate with River. Though he had yet to experience being physically close to her John felt a deep connection with her though it was often pushed deep down in an effort to protect himself.

Moving closer to River John asked, "What were you just talking about? Who's going to die? What's _the Library_?" He glared down at her, his nostrils flaring and his eyebrows furrowing deep into his eyes. His anger concerning Adam and his involvement with River turning into anger against her and what she might be planning with _him_.

River's own eyes hardened, and pursing her lips she steeled her shoulders, "And how is that any of your business?" She refused to back away from him as he continued to stalk towards her. By the time she had made her retort their chests were almost touching. A few of the curls that had escaped her high ponytail moved about her face as John's breath caught them.

"We might be able to stop them." His breathing started to grow heavier and rougher with agitation.

River felt the warm puffs of air circle around her face. She spun away from him as he lifted one of his hands to grab her shoulder. "Now, why would I want to do that?" She asked with her back to him, pretending to scan the shelves for another book.

"River!" John growled, "People are going to die. You're talking about murder!" He took another step towards her.

River rolled her shoulders back, "No, I'm actually murdering someone." She spun back around to face him. A step closer and they would be touching.

Martha and Jack exchanged a look but afraid to intervene they stood back waiting to see what would happen.

"River." John said, sadness laced his voice.

River closed her eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath, "No. Just go John. I don't know how you got here and I don't want to know. Just leave." She looked into his eyes determined to make him go.

"I can't. Not without you." He returned her steely gaze with one of his own.

River threw herself into one of the rich plush chairs that rested beside the bookshelves. "You don't understand. I can't go." She stood up again, restless, "This is who I am. I was born to kill, to murder, to steal, and lie." Her fists closed and her nails dug into her skin.

"Amy and Rory would disagree."

"Who?" River asked suspiciously.

"Your parents."

River laughed humorlessly, "And how would you know? My parents didn't give a damn about me and neither do you. I don't know what you want but let me tell you," River's voice rose in volume as she stepped closer to John, "my parents left me. They thought some other snot nosed kid was more important than me. And you know what? They were probably right. Not that it matters now, but Madame used to show me the video footage every time I would get it in my thick head that I would one day go home. That my parents might want me.

"You know what that video showed? No? My parents left me in the house as a baby and then rushed out to go talk to some lanky teenaged kid and his dad and didn't even notice the Silence going into the house and taking me. And you know why they didn't notice?" She poked his chest with her finger, "Because they didn't want to notice." She lowered her voice, "Because they couldn't care less. They didn't want me or need me. But here, at least I have some use."

John's eyebrows lowered, his voice came out deep and gravelly, "You're wrong."

River laughed and rolled her eyes, "What?"

"You're wrong. They did care. They looked for you and never gave up hope that they could find you. They loved you. And you know what? I don't know what Kovarian told you but Amy and Rory weren't just going out to talk to that kid and his dad. They had been in a car crash and barely managed to get out alive. As it was the boy's mother and older brother didn't survive. Amy and Rory were going out to help. The accident was just outside their house, they didn't leave their property, and they didn't leave you.

"For what it's worth they did love you." John's voice had sunk down to a whisper as he struggled to hold back the tears.

"What?" River's voice lowered as well, confusion written all over her face.

"I was that boy. My Dad became good friends with your parents. Your mother was like a mum to me. That's why I have this accent." His laugh was watery, "I spent so much time with her after my mother died that I started to sound like Amy."

River stumbled back, her eyes darting everywhere and refusing to rest on John's face. She sat heavily on the chair.

"I'm sorry River, you're not a killer. You were born for so much more."

River shook her curls, "You're wrong." She spat out, "I might not have been born to kill but that's who I am now. Nothing more."

"No! No." John kneeled beside the chair and held River's hand in his. She didn't pull her hand out of his so he took that as a good sign. "You might have had to do somethings in your past that you regret, God knows I have, but that doesn't make you who you are now.

"River," He beseeched, "You have to make a decision. You are the only one who can help us stop this but you have to decide. Are you Melody Pond, the girl who was taken from her family, who had her childhood ripped away and trained to kill? Or are you River Song? The woman who loves?"

River scoffed and shook her head, her eyes wet with unshed tears.

"No, I mean it." John squeezed her hand, "You…you, River Song are the woman who loves. You love your daughter. You chose to adopt her and care for her even though you are a single mother and were trying to hide from the Silence. You love your friends even though one of them is a Private Detective and could have discovered who you used to be. You loved a lost little girl in the park who had her mother taken away from her in the cruelest way. You even loved an old man who is grumpy and has eyebrows that could take off a bottle top. A man who couldn't love himself.

"River…" He looked deep in her eyes and implored her to believe. Lifting one of his hands he brushed away a tear, "River you have to choose. No one can decide for you. Are you Melody Pond or River Song?"

River took in a deep shaky breath, "The Vashta Narada."

"What?" Martha was confused.

John turned his head and shot the other woman a glare before turning back to River, "Yes?"

"It's the name of the operation." River continued, "It's a gas that can eat the flesh off of a person in moments. It's relatively quick but that doesn't mean painless. It's going to be released in the world's biggest library."

"Why?" John stood and ran his fingers through his grey curls.

"There is meant to be over four-thousand people visiting it today. Adam – he took over after his mother was killed," River glanced at Jack who nodded, "Adam believes it's the perfect message to send. We are being devoured by corrupt governments, by people who we think are going to keep us safe and informed. Adam sees the Library as the same, a place where people expect to be safe and informed but they will be devoured."

"Mels!" Jack called from the door where he was keeping a lookout, "Someone's coming!"

River shook her head, "River. Call me River. Melody is dead."

John smiled, "Melody Pond, the girl who died in a library to save the Library and all four-thousand people."

Two people with guns rushed in. River's head whipped up and she quickly pulled herself to her feet. John rushed to River's side and grabbed her hand. Jack looked around and calculating his options he threw himself at the intruders. One of the intruders fired his gun, sending a bullet hurtling towards its target. Jolting on impact, Jack was shot in the shoulder and the leg but he continued to fight back.

"Run!" He yelled as he struggled with the assailants.

"Jack!" River cried but she couldn't get to him because John pulled her back and dragged her along the hallways after Martha.

They could hear the sound of gunshots behind them which spurred them on. Rushing through the people coming out of the Control Room to investigate the noise, Martha, John, and River sprinted for Idris. The space and time machine sat hidden in an unused hallway, unnoticed and ready for their arrival.

"Mels!" Adam roared as he came out of the Control Room to see River and the others fly around the corner.

Chasing after them Adam felt a wind blowing against him but he couldn't see anyone. There was no trace of them. "No!" He screamed and threw his gun down the hall.

"Bad choice." A voice behind him wheezed.

Adam turned and saw Jack, blood dripping down his arm that hung uselessly at his side. More blood pooled around his leg that was darkened with the wet fluid.

"Jack."

"Yes." Jack's lip curled in derision, "You hurt my friend, and don't think you'll get to live."

"I loved her!" Adam cried as he raised his hands slowly.

"Maybe, in your own sick way," Jack spat out some blood, "But I saw the bruises."

"They were from training!" Adam defended.

"And the way she said your name. No," Jack shook his head, "you hurt her. Prepare to die."

"You're too late." Adam smirked.

"That was always your problem. You talk too much." Adam lowered his hands as Jack's arms were gripped tightly. "She won't be gone for long. I found her once, I'll find her again." Adam walked up to Jack and smiled evilly, "And I will have that child."

Jack spat blood in Adam's face, "You bastard."

Adam stepped back in disgust. The sound of a shot filled the air. The villainous man's eyes widened and his mouth slacked. Adam brought up a manicured hand to his chest and when he pulled it away he saw that it was covered in deep red blood. His eyes rolled back and he slumped to the floor, dead.

A second shot was fired and Jack dangled in his captor's arms. His gun that he had used to shoot Adam dropped to the floor with a bang and his head flopped forward dripping blood from the wound the bullet had left behind.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen:**

 **A/N: There is death (suicide) in this chapter. Please don't read if you know you shouldn't.**

John brought Idris down beside an old potholed gravel road that looked as if it hadn't been looked after in years. Despite the peaceful location of the teleportation machine with the soft tweet of birds and the occasional lowing of a cow all was not calm. The tension within the machine was in direct opposition to the serenity that surrounded it.

"What are you doing?" River screamed, "We can't just leave Jack! He'll be killed!"

"He died to save your life!" John yelled back. "We need to stop the bombing at the Library. What are the coordinates?" He demanded standing next to the controls.

"You selfish bastard!" River screamed. "If I had my gun, I'd shoot you dead."

"Not the first time someone's wished to kill me." John said. "What's the coordinates?"

"Don't you give a damn?" River threw out her arm to gesture at the door, "One of my only friends has just been killed. Of course you don't." She shook her head roughly causing some curls to dislodge from their hold, "You're a bloody monolith!"

John glared at River, "There will be time to mourn him later. Right now we have people to save."

"I can't believe you." River spat stalking up to him.

"Like you're any better."

River gasped, "When this is over, I never want to see you again."

"Fine by me!" The vehemence in his voice matched hers.

"Good."

Martha stood by the door with a worried look on her face. She wasn't sure if she should intervene or let the argument ride its course and try to help them pick up the pieces when they were done.

"Hey!" John exclaimed as River hip-bumped him out of the way. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Flying this thing."

"You can't fly her!"

"Why not?"

"You don't know how."

River stopped pulling at the controls and turned to glare at him, "I bet I could fly her better than you can."

John huffed as River pulled the final lever and sent them to the Library.

They landed silently without a noise from without or within.

"Wow. That was quiet." Martha said quietly from her place near the door.

"Thank you." River smiled smugly with a quick glance at John who seemed to be pouting.

River nodded and took a breath to steady herself, "This is what's happening," she began with a pointed look at John before turning to Martha, "Martha, you contact your people; I assume you are attached to the police or a government agency of some kind? Yes? Good. They need to know about the Silence base on Trenzalore and what is going on here. John, you need to get everybody out. If either of you come across anyone who is planting bombs do not engage with them." She said firmly.

"And what are you going to do? Take a nap?" John quipped.

River glared at him. "I am going to dismantle the bombs. They will be on an internal detonation sequence and as such will need to be defused individually."

"How many of them, do you think?" Martha asked.

"I'm hoping no more than ten."

"But the Library is huge!"

"Yes, but the gas is very lethal. The Vashta Narada, if it were insects, would be like a swarm. It's as if there was a swarm of flesh eating insects in each of the different bombs. Ten is plenty. Unfortunately, it's not insects."

"Why is that unfortunate? I hate bugs."

"Because you can't see the gas, you could see the insects and maybe get away if you're lucky but there is no way you could see if the gas was in the room, you'd just be dead." River shrugged. "At best it might look like a shadow, but is it a shadow? Is it the Vashta Narada? You wouldn't know until you were dead."

"Ok, I get it." Martha tried to laugh in hopes of lightening the situation.

)(x)(x)(x)(

John scowled as he made his way through the front hall of the Library towards the main desk. He hadn't meant to start fighting with River but she had made him so mad. He felt as if there was a fire within him. He had risked everything to find her and she pushed back at every point. To cap it off, and perhaps this was the real reason why he was furious, she didn't realize her worth. She was worth more than anyone on the base but she couldn't see it. He had to get her out, it's what Jack would have wanted but she couldn't understand that.

He tried to push all thoughts of River out of his mind as he looked for a fire alarm switch. That should get everyone out and quickly, and if things went well it would get the authorities to the Library as well. Fumbling around the desk he smiled when he found what he was looking for. Triumphantly he pulled the switch and turned his thoughts once more to River as he watched people stream out of the building to the blaring sound of the alarm.

)(x)(x)(x)(

"That idiot!" River grumbled under her breath as she tried to concentrate on dismantling the first bomb that rested between her fingers. "Can't that man do anything quietly?"

Working faster than she thought possible River dismantled nine bombs. Finding them was easier than she thought. She had been apart of the strategy group that poured over the blueprints and worked out the best placement areas for the bombs. She didn't know the exact location of the bombs but she did know the area which cut down on the searching time. The trouble was her fingers. By the time she had found and dismantled five bombs her fingers were raw, by the time nine were put out of commission her fingers were bleeding. Unfortunately she didn't have any gloves and so she had to do the best with what she had, and in this case that meant wiping her bloodied fingers on her clothes in order to keep the red fluid from dripping into the circuitry. Her pants had blood streaks running up and down her thighs from wiping her bloody fingers on them. River figured a ruined pair of pants was a small price to pay for the lives of thousands.

With a sigh River brushed her curls out of her face. She needed to find that last bomb! She was pretty sure which section it was in but she was running out of time. She didn't have enough time to find the bomb, she barely had enough to dismantle the last detonator before it would release its deadly gas.

The lights from the firetrucks shone through the windows and their sirens added to the cacophony of the alarm that still sounded throughout the building. Trying to focus on the job at hand River made her way carefully through the rows of books. Coming to the end of a stack she saw one of her students. Not one from the university but one from the Silence. She had been training some of the younger recruits and seeing his young face she cursed Adam. What was he thinking putting a kid like that on this job? She knew it was because he was expendable but in her mind that didn't make it excusable.

Sighing again, River rounded the stack of books and holding a knife that she had kept hidden on her person she approached the teenage boy. Coming at him from behind she grabbed him, pinning his arms she held the knife blade loosely at his throat.

"Professor!" He squeaked.

"Always be prepared. Always be aware. Don't trust anyone." She whispered into his ear.

"Ok." The boy was smart enough to keep his head still and not nod in agreement.

"Where's your gun? No. Don't grab it, tell me."

"Back right hip."

"Got it." River loosened her grip on Nardole's shoulders. Stepping back she pointed the gun at him.

"Ma'am? I don't understand." The teenagers eyes shone with confusion and betrayal.

"This isn't right and you know it. Mass murder isn't what you signed up for, surely."

"No, ma'am. But I do what I'm told." He squared his shoulders.

"Oh, don't try to be brave. Where's the last bomb?"

"Over there." Nardole lifted his arm and pointed.

"You are going to dismantle it." River gestured with the barrel of the gun to head in the direction of the bomb.

Sweat began to bead on Nardole's forehead as he worked with the interior of the bomb. Knowing that the Professor was aware of how to disengage the device meant that he couldn't risk altering from her plans least she shoot him before he succeeded in reengaging the bomb. Once the deed was done he sat back on his heels and looked up at her.

"Up."

Running a free hand over the short soft hair on his closely shaved head Nardole stood. At River's command he began to walk towards the central desk of the library. The moment that he saw the desk come in view he stopped. He felt the nose of the gun press into his back.

"Move." River growled.

Nardole quickly turned around and looked in River's eye. "You taught me. You were the one that inspired me to continue, to make the tough decisions not to give up. I can't let you turn me in."

"Who said I'm turning you in?"

"The authorities are here, ma'am. What else are you going to do? We are both going to jail. I don't see any way out of this."

"You are not going to jail. You're a good kid. I'll get you out." River had always liked Nardole; he was a bit socially awkward but he had a quick mind and was able to sell anyone anything. It wasn't his fault that his dad had essentially "sold" him to the Silence so that his mother could get the treatment she needed. River knew that Nardole had agreed to the deal in hopes that his mother would live.

"No." Nardole shook his head, tears danced in his eyes as he took a step closer to River.

"What are you doing?" River tried to pull away as Nardole circled his hand around hers on the gun. Though he was still a teenager he was strong from all of the training that had been demanded of him.

"I'm sorry." The boy croaked. He couldn't risk being turned in to the authorities, it would break his mother's heart and he couldn't go back to the Silence.

"Nardole! No!" River cried.

)(x)(x)(x)(

John heard River's voice. Running away from the assembled group of Firefighters that he had been explaining the situation to he came into view of River and a young man. The boy was standing close to her, their hands circling around an object that was obscured from his view by the boy's body.

River was shaking her head, "Nardole! No!"

"River?" John speed up towards the two.

River's head sprang up and her eyes rested on John, "No!" She cried.

A shot sounded but before it could echo about the room the sound was absorbed into the books that filled the room. Nardole collapsed to the ground, his lifeblood spreading rapidly out on the floor. Within moments he was dead.

John felt as if time had stopped. He watched the boy collapse to the floor and then looked up at River. Her mouth was slack and tears ran down her face. Her arm flopped to her side and the gun that was in her hands clattered to the floor. A frown formed on John's face, he tried to breath but it was as if he was underwater. A bubbling gasping noise accompanied his forced breath. No longer able to stand he sunk to the floor.

River rushed to John's side. She pressed her hands hard against the bullet hole that was squirting out blood with every pump of his heart. The bullet that had gone straight through Nardole and embedded itself into John.

"John. John." She cried, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She had killed many people over her life but the knowledge that she had been apart of Nardole's death and maybe John's hurt her to the core. She didn't want to be the woman who killed John, if she was honest she wanted to be the woman who loved him. Now she may never have the chance. Tears dripped down her face as she continued to press against the bullet hole, the blood squirted out between her fingers covering her hands in the hot red liquid.

"Shh." He rasped around the blood that began to pool in his mouth. "It's ok."

"No it's not." River shook her head, her hands slippery with the blood that continued to pour from his chest. "John. John." She mumbled.

"Thete." He whispered.

River bent her head down to his mouth.

"Not. John. Thete. Thete. Sigma." He struggled to get out before his eyes rolled back and his head fell back onto the floor.

"John! John! No!" River was frantic. "Someone! Help!" She called out.

It was as if she was underwater. River saw everything as if through a fog. She watched as the paramedics came in and took over. Placing John – Thete – on a gurney they wheeled him out. River sat, her head bowed and her hands and forearms covered in blood, both his and hers. There was nothing she could do to hold back the sobs.

 **A/N: Only the Epilogue to go!**


	15. Epilogue

**Chapter Fifteen:**

 **A/N: And here we are, at the final chapter. Really it is more of an epilogue. And if you have felt that there wasn't enough good ol' fluff so far then this chapter should sate your appetite ;)  
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 **I hope you have enjoyed the journey so far!**

River's laugh filled the room, "Boe! Bowen! Your cake is meant to go in your mouth not on your head."

"Feed brain." The little boy pointed at his head with a toothy smile. His dark curls were smothered in chocolate cake and buttercream icing. His face and hands were equally covered and bits of cake went flying onto the table and floor as he waved his hands around with a joyous smile. In anticipation of this River had placed Kasterborous, or Kassy, in the other room so that the Great Dane puppy wouldn't eat the chocolate cake that would inevitably end up on the floor. It was a sad day when Vortex passed away but River was glad to have another dog in the house. Though she was still growing into her feet Kassy was already a loved member of the family.

Charlie laughed and put some cake in her mouth, though instead of using her hands as the little boy was doing she was eating daintily with a small silver fork. "He's only just two Mummy. Lots of time to get food in his mouth later." She continued to laugh.

River smiled at her daughter. She had grown so much in the last five years since River had cut all ties with the Silence. They were still working with trust issues after River's six-and-a-half month hiatus but Charlie had come so far.

"Mum! I found the candles." Jenny walked through the door and into the dining room. "Oh." Her face fell as she took in the scene of her family eating cake.

"Thank you so much." River stood up and took the candle box from Jenny's limp hand. "I'm afraid he got to the cake before I could pull it away; and so I just served the rest. Forgive me?" River asked her eldest daughter.

"Yeah, sure." Jenny smiled up at River.

"Your cake's there." River pointed to the large slice sitting at the empty chair.

Jenny had also grown a lot in the last five years. She was almost twelve and River could see her becoming a young woman before her very eyes. When John had been taken to hospital in critical condition and River had been freed from charges relating to her involvement with the Silence Jenny had come to live with her.

Clara had offered to help but her engagement and subsequent marriage to Danny meant that she had had to move due to her husband's military ties. Jenny had been heartbroken but much to River's surprise she had become very attached to her new "mother" that she had found in River.

That new status soon became real when John was released from the hospital and they were married a year later. It had been a whirlwind, with neither quite realizing what was happening. After a year of marriage they had come to the decision that they had wanted to try to have a child. Quite possibly the last Gallifreyan child to ever be born. The doctors' had warned them that they were too old to be thinking about having a child and that the possibility of complications was extremely high.

River had argued that the doctors' didn't understand Gallifreyan biology and had gotten them to agree that it was a possibility that she and the baby would be fine due to the differences in their biological makeup. That hadn't stopped John from worrying, however. Thankfully, and much to the doctors' surprise, River and the baby sailed through the pregnancy and birth. There were some anomalies but the doctors' just chalked it up to them being Gallifreyan. They reported that due to the differences that set the mother and child apart from the rest of the world differences in the gestation and birth was to be expected.

In the process of deciding to have the child and then being pregnant River and John decided to tell Jenny who her birth father was. At first Jenny had taken it very hard and refused to talk to anyone, River, John, or David but after a while she began to warm to the idea of having two dads and two mums. She knew that she couldn't see her first mum but was glad to agree to spend a weekend once a month with her Dad and the rest of her time with her Mum and Papa.

River was not looking forward to when Charlie understood that Jenny knew who her biological parents were and that she got to spend time with her birth father. River knew that she would never be able to find out who Charlie's birth family was and it broke her heart for her daughter. She knew that she would have to be understanding and loving when Charlotte would have to wrestle through that for herself. Though she did not relish the thought of the struggle to come she was committed to be there for her daughter and she knew that John would be there for her as well.

Looking around the table River smiled. Her family was here with her, altogether. Jenny had begun to giggle along with Charlie at the sight of Boe rubbing cake on his face. River's smile grew at the sight of her children. She would never have imagined five-years-ago that this would be her life. A mother to three wonderful children, a wife to a brilliant and caring man, and a successful professor and author. Her first book _Melody Malone_ was selling well and she had been offered a movie deal.

Looking at her son her smile changed into one of contentment. Though Jack couldn't be there to celebrate the second birthday of his namesake, River knew that he would always be with them. In his youth, Jack had been known as the 'Face of Boe'. Before everything had gone wrong for him he had been the poster boy for his town and now his legacy of friendship, intelligence, and leadership lived on in a small Gallifreyan boy.

Looking over at her husband she saw that he was looking at her with a soft smile.

"My love." He said softly as he reached for her hand. Giving it a gentle squeeze River and John turned back to watch their children. Their hearts swelled at the sight and joining in with the giggles of their children they began to laugh.

 **A/N: And now it's done. Thank you so much for reading. I hope you have an amazing day** **:)  
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